The Lives We Lead
by AYangThang
Summary: When we look in the mirror, an image looks back at us. These images reflect the quality of our lives. So, what do our reflections show? Weiss/Blake, Ruby/Sun, Coco/Velvet/Fox, Yang/Yatsuhashi, Jaune/Pyrrha, Ren/Nora.
1. Chapter 1

Happy April, everyone. The itch to return to some of my most loved ships has been gnawing at me. There's just so many fun ways to play with the dynamics. So, this is me visiting my most loved ships in a new way. I hope you'll join me for the ride.

Weiss/Blake, Ruby/Sun, Coco/Velvet/Fox, Yang/Yatsuhashi, Jaune/Pyrrha, Ren/Nora.

Chapter 2 out next Monday.

**The Lives We Lead  
****Chapter 1: Blake: New Type of Normal**

A hunter's life is a fleeting life. It's always adapting upon the winds of change. There comes a time for every hunter and huntress to reflect upon their future. To look themselves in the mirror and ask the hard questions. Blake found herself looking in the mirror more often these days. She couldn't help wondering if her time as a huntress had begun to expire. It might be a time for a different path. She wouldn't have been the first of her team, or even her friends, to consider this notion.

Everyone else had come to this crossroads at one point or another. They'd all made lifestyle choices to suit them as time went on. She had always hesitated, and it showed.

Team CFVY were the first to collectively retire young. Only a handful of years into their twenties, they'd set their weapons aside. For Coco, it was a calculated risk. The upheaval of several old and empowered families made way for new blood. Never one to ride on the coat-tails of her ancestors, she wanted a slice of the fame and fortune. It was the perfect time. For Velvet, the choice came down to supporting Coco, and a renewed faith in the Faunus plight. With old powers slowly dying out, so were the old ways. Fox and Yatsuhashi followed the shifting tide eagerly.

Weiss was the next to step away. Moving along for the sake of the company she wanted so desperately. She exited the team, entered an arranged married, and played the waiting game. She had a mutual and quiet divorce soon after giving birth to her daughter. Her ex-husband more than happy to hand Weiss the entire company on a silver platter. It was an upset to the Schnee family dynasty, securing Weiss as the first female CEO to the Schnee Dust Company. She hadn't picked up her weapon in years. With a daughter to raise and a company to run, no one could blame her.

Team JNPR settled in a small fishing village along the coast of Mistral. They still hunted Grimm locally, but they lived a quiet life away from Pyrrha's fame. Ruby and Jaune stayed fast friends. Always seeming to be in constant contact despite the distance. According to Ruby's chatter on the subject, Pyrrha recently accepted an apprentice. Ren and Nora found themselves caretaking orphans until a proper family could be found.

They were living a good life, and really, that was all anyone could truly ask for.

Yang had recently chosen to put her own weapon away, a decision that hadn't come easy for her. After Weiss had departed the team, the seed had been planted. Then, a committed relationship with Yatsuhashi had Yang re-evaluating her career choice. She had been uncertain of herself at first, but wedding vows and several close friends in Atlas helped to seal the deal. As a newlywed in the heart of downtown Atlas, she had plenty of nightlife and excitement at her fingertips. There was never a dull moment.

Team SSSN had slowly split ways over the years. The rambunctious playboys slowly becoming men as the days of hunting trickled on. The idea of settling down became more appealing. None of them wanted to return to an empty home and lonely bed. Each of them had found lovers over the years, the full weight of those responsibilities had shaped them for the better. Gone were the days of recklessness. They couldn't afford to be careless.

Even Sun found himself setting his weapon aside. He'd put his career to rest quite happily. Now he lived on the small island of Patch, more than content to raise his daughter on the sleepy little island. The Rose-Xiao Long household carving a new nameplate into the well-worn mailbox.

That was another reason to look in the mirror.

When even he moved onto a different stage in his life, it was clear that clinging to the past was no longer an option. Still, Blake had found herself desperately clinging anyway. As long as Ruby chose to hunt, there would be a reason to step foot into those wilds. Yet, those missions grew shorter by the day. At the end of those missions, Ruby returned home.

To Sun, and her baby girl.

Everyone else had a home and a busy life to go along with it. Blake had little more than a series of small rooms rented out of hunter's dormitories. None of them were particularly warm or inviting, containing more books and mission supplies than anything else. They seemed to collect dust wherever Blake ventured.

It was time, again, to look in the mirror.

To ask herself the hard questions.

This morning, like every morning to her recent memory, she caught her own gaze. The same tired expression looked back. She wasn't getting any younger, and her bed had been cold for nearly a decade.

Maybe…

Maybe it was time…

* * *

Ruby lived on the sleepy little island off the coast of Vale. Patch only had a few residents. Most of them were families that had been around for generations. A handful of stores and eateries sat in walking distance. A lone saloon by the coast was beloved by all. After a hard day's work families congregated there in mass. Emergency services were sparse. Fires a rarity, and crime rates low. A small, old, hospital sat atop a little hill, an airship docked and ready to fly to Vale's much more advanced facilities at a moment's notice.

Blake supposed if you were going to raise a child outside Vale's main fortification, you'd probably want to raise them here.

There was something to be said about the crisp air around the cozy island home. The forests distinctly wafted the scent of pine. The creaky wooden steps of the front porch had their charm. A small spider made itself a web up in the corner where it would least be disturbed. Just one of many harmless creatures in this rustic location. The home had seen its fair share of wear and tear over the years. A new roof and some basic repairs could only go so far.

Somehow, Blake suspected that the family wouldn't want it any other way.

No matter how many times Blake made the slow walk along the dirt path and up those three short steps, she'd hadn't quite gotten used to the sight in front of her. Ruby sitting in a rocking chair idling the morning away. The baby lazily suckled from her breast. Like Summer Rose before her, Ruby had taken to motherhood with aplomb. At least, that's how it seemed.

Ruby smiled in greeting either way. "Hey, Blake. There's coffee in the kitchen."

"I'm fine." Blake said, holding aloft a small metal canister of her favorite tea. She sipped from it as she regarded her friend. Ruby looked to have just gotten out of bed. Her hair was unkempt, and one of Sun's oversized shirts the only thing keeping her modest. Blake took a seat on the open rocker, the wood crying with its age. It was the perfect place to watch the going's-on, even if that merely meant a chipmunk scurrying around just out of reach. The small creature on the hunt for dropped food. "Where's Sun?" She asked quietly.

"Inside." Ruby said with a soft laugh, as she nodded down to the baby in way of an explanation. "Keiko kept him up all night."

"I thought your dad was supposed to be helping you two out."

"Oh, he did." Ruby said with a smirk pulling at her lips. "He's sleeping in the chair."

Incredulous, Blake stood up just enough to look in through the window. Beyond the layer of dew that had condensed on the glass, a peaceful morning dragged on. Both of the blond men slept in front of the glow of the television. There was Sun, clad in little more than a pair of pajama pants, passed out along the sofa. Taiyang relaxed in his favorite armchair, wearing a battered tank-top and boxers. His bare feet kicked up onto the coffee table as he snoozed.

Seeing the huntsmen unguarded, it wasn't any question how alike they were. Blonde hair, terrible sense of humor, easygoing disposition, a mild distain for clothing… The list went on.

It was the perfect argument to be made about women seeking men like their fathers. Sun certainly had echoes of Taiyang within him. They were both a bit rough around the edges. Sometimes they said the wrong things. Beneath all of that bravado, a genuine care for others trickled through. Blake had seen the way Sun would cart his baby around, no small sense of pride on his features. Hardly intimidated by the small package he tucked in one arm while he sipped a beer and watched the television.

It wasn't so hard to think of Taiyang doing the same with his own girls when they were small. Blake loathed to admit the sentimental little truth.

"They look completely dead to the world." She scoffed instead, settling back into her chair.

"They are." Ruby nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly by known experience. "Did you know I accidentally stepped on Sun's tail once? He didn't even budge."

"That's just sad." Blake said, but her voice held fond humor. "Who would think two huntsmen would lose to a baby."

"Keiko still doesn't sleep through the night." Ruby explained. "I'd make fun of them, but honestly, she's more exhausting than any scouting mission I've ever been on. At least Grimm keep you alert. Between caffeine and a mission high, getting tired isn't an option. Here, there's no threat to keep them on their toes. Just a baby that won't sleep."

Blake nodded, looking to the girl who had finally finished her meal, nodding off for a nap nestled against her mother's breast. "Has any decent work come in?"

"Besides shadowing the Signal kids?" Ruby asked with a small laugh, adjusting Keiko, and then the button down shirt so it covered her chest properly. "There's nothing worthwhile."

"I'm getting so sick of doing that." Blake groused softly so as not to wake the sleeping little one. "Can't we do something else?"

"Sorry, but those are the rules, Blake." Ruby said with a soft shrug. Her eyes lingering on the shed by the side of the house. Silver eyes narrowing at the equipment within. She missed her weapon, and the thrill of the hunt. "I have to wait six months after giving birth before I'm cleared to go back to Grimm extermination. Until then, I'm regulated to village inquiries, city escorts, paperwork, and training."

"Training…" Blake sighed softly. "They can't even start a campfire on their own. Signal's a combat academy, for god's sake."

"Kids focus on core academics. Age brackets for training overlap a little, but not a lot." Ruby said, ticking off with her hand the path from Signal to Beacon. "Survival training from five to eight. Self-defense, seven to ten. Combat training and weapon forging, nine to thirteen. Advanced weapon forging and training, thirteen and older. Supervised remedial missions fourteen to sixteen. Academy qualifiers, sixteen and older. Then you're waitlisted until an academy accepts you."

"And your point is…?"

"Older kids ends up going into the hills." Ruby said pointing to the hillside in question. "There are wild animals up there. Go high enough, there's even a few Grimm wandering around. I'd need to be cleared to use Crescent Rose."

The penny dropped, and with it so did Blake's ears. "Crap." She muttered as feline ears folded over. "Isn't there anything else we can do?"

Ruby shook her head. "By the looks of it, we're going to have another slow week. There are a few currier missions up on the board. I considered those, but they're long distance and remote."

"How remote are we talking?"

"Outlying villages across the kingdom." Ruby said, a quick lick of her lips cementing her choice not to go. "I don't want to travel that far yet. I don't feel comfortable leaving for any longer than an overnight trip, and those missions would take us out for a week or more."

Another sign of the times. It was only a few short years ago that Ruby wouldn't tolerate being out of a job. She would have taken any mission just to keep busy. As a team they'd taken more than their fair share low ranking rookie tasks off of the mission boards. Now, Ruby was happy to leave her scroll untouched. It sat on an empty barrel that they used as a makeshift table.

"Well, what about mail delivery?" Blake suggested. "It'd be a day trip at most. If we left soon, we'd probably be back around midnight."

"I could pilot the ship if you really wanted." Ruby said honestly, reaching for the glass of water she kept nearby. "We'd make pocket change at best, though. It's probably not worth the cost you'd pay in dust rounds to drive away the nevermore flocks."

"Good point. Though nothing even remotely safe pays well as a hunter." Blake said, once again, checking the postings. "It seems like forever since we took on a Grimm extermination case. It was probably before you started to show, now that I think about it."

"It has been that long, hasn't it? Time just sort of flew by for me. It slipped my mind. Are you strapped for cash?" Ruby asked then. "If this is about money-"

"No, it's nothing like that." Blake interrupted. "Don't worry Ruby, hunter's dorms are dirt cheap. I'd have to be completely out of work for months before I ran out of money. We take enough odd jobs to keep that from happening. I'm just bored, and easy missions are a good way to pass the time."

"If you want something to do that badly, then here, you can watch her while I go make breakfast." Ruby said, standing and offering the little bundle swaddled in the blanket.

Blake tentatively received the fragile baby. Unsure what to do around the small child that had found its way into her arms. Her ears flattened back when the little monkey Faunus opened her eyes. The soft pools of silver were just like her mother's. She had never been comfortable around children, especially particularly small children. With baited breath, Blake waited for then inevitable crying sure to come, eyeing the baby in her hands like a bomb about to explode.

"Ruby…" Blake muttered. "Ruby… it's looking at me…" Amber eyes flicking up to see that the woman had already made her way inside. "Ruby? Hey wait, don't just leave me out here alone with it!"

It was then Ruby leaned out her front door with a cheeky grin, "She's not an 'it', she's a baby, and she's fine."

"Yeah, well still. Don't leave me alone with _her_, then." Blake was more than eager to follow inside anyway, walking very carefully, as though even the slightest mishap would result in disaster.

With no missions to occupy her time, it felt awkward to loiter around the warm and happy family. Before the baby had been born, Blake wouldn't have hesitated to idle away the days in the forested area. At the time, Ruby loved the distraction, and Sun felt better about having someone around to help look after his incredibly pregnant mate. Now, with the little one finally here, and the family deeply rooted to their new routine, it felt wrong to intrude.

She would stop by in the mornings out of habit. Taking breakfast with the household because Ruby insisted upon it. By the time afternoon rolled around, she felt as though she overstayed her welcome. She couldn't help but feel that way.

She couldn't help seeing Sun and Ruby exchange such sweet little nothings in passing. A gentle caress or an offhanded statement. A flick of his tail or a snarky little smirk. Those were expressions meant only for the two lovers, moments that Blake and Taiyang just so happened to see because of proximity. A voice inside Blake's head warned her that she might as well not exist. Ruby and Sun had built their own little world. The center of which cradled their child, radiating outward to anyone lucky enough to be considered part of the family.

Of course, there was nothing that made Taiyang happier than sitting back as a willing spectator. The little world unfolding in from of him was his hard earned reward. He'd lived this phase of his life to the best of his ability, and now, he'd been granted the opportunity to watch his daughter live hers. He fully intended to reap the benefits of being a grandfather. Even if this was all he'd ever know for the rest of his life, he'd grow old and die a happy man.

He said so constantly himself.

Blake wasn't provided the same luxury. She hadn't earned any right to impede on the happy little home any more than she did. The inherent wrongness often pushing her away to visit other friends. The problem was, they all lived lives that were just as busy. It was a lonely little truth, but it was there all the same.

Blake knew that her significance among her teammates hadn't diminished in the slightest. Still, it would be foolish to believe that her place hadn't changed at all. The inevitable had finally happened. Lives had moved on, dragging her along for the ride.

* * *

"You know Ruby doesn't mind you being there so much. If she did, she'd probably say something about it." Yang's voice carried from over the sound of the weight bench in the background.

"I know, but it still feels weird." Blake muttered, a pretzel stick hanging from the tips of her fingers as she idly studied the salt granules. "It's just that impeding on those little moments really makes my skin crawl."

"Oh?" Another incredibly soft clank. A carefully timed breath indicated another rep of some kind being done on a weight machine. "They're not doing anything I would do, are they?"

"You're asking me? I have no idea what you do." Blake said. "And for the love of god, don't tell me. I _don't_ want to know what you guys get up to." She bit into her pretzel then, if only to block out the imagery attempting to squirm its way into her head. The mere thought disturbing her on a fundamental level. Yang was many things to her, all of them very precious. She wouldn't dare disrespect that closeness after so many years. "Though, I suppose that's the problem."

"Call me crazy, but I don't think I understand." Another rep, and several moments of silence. "You're family, Blake. Always will be. You're kind of stuck with us." The sound of buttons being pressed and the misting of a spray bottle indicated Yang was probably done with her routine.

"Yang, I really hate to say this, but it's a Faunus thing." Blake said then with a sigh. "We take our social bonds very seriously, and we protect them fiercely. It's a matter of pride for me. It's a gift to be able to have you and Ruby as such important people in my life."

"Flattery will get you everywhere." Yang said.

"Yang…" Blake groused. "I'm being serious."

"Yep, me too." Yang said without missing a beat.

Blake only rolled her eyes, even though she knew Yang couldn't see it. "I just don't want to ruin things. We've been so close, for so long. I don't want to overstep my place. I know you and Ruby don't exactly have a respect for personal space, but your husbands-"

"Don't give a shit." Yang interrupted.

"Well, I certainly do." Blake shot back. "And I don't want to trample thoughtlessly on anyone's relationship."

"Well, I can't speak for Ruby and Sun, but I am I'm going to speak up for me and Yatsuhashi." Yang said then, the ruffling over her scroll indicating she was moving it around. The sound of a towel snapping cutting through the air a moment later. "Yatsuhashi doesn't give a rat's ass about what I do with my teammates. Short of you trying to have sex with me behind his back, there is nothing on this planet you could possibly do to offend him."

Blake could only balk. "I wouldn't do that…not _now_, anyway." Her history with Yang did include some casual encounters in her Beacon years, but that was to be expected. Every team had a story or two about youthful indiscretion. They were all pushing thirty now, that kind of behavior had died out long ago. "Besides, you can't tell me that he still puts up with Coco's advances."

"Blakey, listen, they've always been a very intimate sort of team. That didn't change just because I married him. I don't expect it to. If you think me and Ruby were touchy-feely, you've got it all wrong. The amount of ass grabbing that goes on around here puts my hugs to total shame. Not even my ass is safe anymore. Coco gives it a fly by tweak every chance she gets, and Fox has limited sight. He touches everything that has an aura just to get a better view of who the person is."

"Fox I can understand, but the fact that you let Coco touch your butt boggles my mind." Blake muttered with a shiver.

"I don't see an issue with it." Yang said, and Blake could just imagine Yang's usually perplexed look. "She doesn't mean anything weird by it. That's just the way she is. Anyway, they're going to be physically affectionate with him just like they always have, it's a given. So, whatever I choose to do with you guys, that's a given too. If I cuddle up next to you or something, he not going to second guess it."

"I just don't feel right about getting in the way." Blake sighed. "Besides aren't you two still in your honeymoon phase?"

"Wouldn't you like to know. You two aren't so different, either. Got a lot of the same turn-ons." Yang said, dropping her voice and whispering into the receiver dirtily. "If the rest of them weren't in here, I'd drop down to my knees and suck him off right now. We've got to be spontaneous like that to keep the fire alive, you know."

"God damn it, Yang." Blake muttered, burying her face in her pillowing and groaning with exasperation. "Why? Just... Why? That's the last thing I needed to think about."

"Well, don't light the fire if you can't take the heat, Blakey…"

* * *

Constant travel was uncommon for the majority of the people within the kingdoms. Many chose a place to settle, rarely moving from that spot for good reason. Travel beyond fortifications meant venturing into the wilds. There would always be a risk of seeing Grimm. Most of the people inside the kingdom's walls had never seen a real one before, and that was the kingdom's leaders wanted it to stay.

The flight to Atlas itself was an overnight trip provided there weren't any detours. The flying Grimm had a tendency to make a flight twice as long on occasion, causing layovers or emergency landings in carefully plotted outposts. The most treacherous part of travel was over the open waters, and little could be done about that. Flying might have been the most preferred method of transport, but any civilian would have a healthy fear of flying anywhere outside the protected boarders.

Blake had settled into her small economy seat just fine. Those surrounding her were either traveling on business, or were fellow hunters and huntresses like herself. There were a few human families taking seats, and they were the ones that were apprehensive. The key was not to panic. Most Grimm that posed a threat to the large, heavily armored vessels, weren't very keen on attacking a lone airship midflight. It just wasn't an attractive target.

Once she made her routine flight to Atlas, she headed the small dormitory that housed her room.

It didn't matter what kingdom she visited, all hunter's dormitories were roughly the same. Anyone who graduated from a huntsman academy would be well acquainted with the amenities. They had different sized rooms depending on the number of hunters renting a space, but there wasn't much to see. There were a few shelves in every room, a storage space for every bed. It was up to the hunter to furnish and decorate the room beyond that. Facilities such as the canteen and bathrooms were communal. For those that wished an extra layer of privacy, an hour was set aside every morning for men, and in the evening an hour was set aside for women. The common rooms were filled with snack cupboards, a television, and an assortment of hobbies.

As a solitary huntress, Blake's rented rooms were quite small, but it was all she ever truly needed.

It didn't stop Weiss from complaining though. Blake couldn't step foot into Atlas without hearing about the abysmal accommodations at least once.

"I have spare rooms, Blake. This is ridiculous." Weiss said indignantly as she nearly tripped over the strap of Blake's duffle bag. "You don't have to keep renting this place out. You hardly use it."

"It would be an imposition." Blake pointed out, attacking the cobwebs that had gathered near the air vents. "You have a kid to take care of and a company trying to cannibalize itself from the inside out. The last thing you need is me loafing around with nothing to do."

"I also have a butler fully capable of taking care of the chores." Weiss pointed out. "You say you've come to Atlas to visit, yet you completely refuse to accept hospitality." She sighed, snatching the feather duster. A plume of dust flying outward like a cloud. "Blake, this place is a mess."

"We've stayed in worse." And while that was the truth, it still didn't appease Weiss. She tried her best not to catch the disapproving glare of her friend. Instead, she pulled out a roll of tape to seal up a crack in one of the windows. "Besides, I like it. There are nice people living here."

"It's a Faunus only dorm." Weiss deadpanned. "Doesn't that say anything to you? Considering these horrendous conditions, I'd thought you'd be the first one to take offense."

"There's a human two floors down, and another just across the hall." Blake said with a laugh. "It's an old building, and the man who owns it is getting on in his years. I know it looks like it's going to hell in a hand basket, but that's honestly the furthest thing from the truth." Blake explained, happily patting her handiwork gently. "Last spring, we put in a whole new indoor garden. The fall before that was when we replaced the roof. It's a good community, a diamond in the rough."

"I fear what it would cost to get this building up to code." Weiss said, sidestepping a big drink colored stain on the cream colored rug. "I fully realize that huntsmen prefer lower standards of living, but this crosses the line."

"I think part of the reason we like it this way is because affluent hunters don't bother with it." Blake said. "I think they stay in the dorms uptown."

"Which is where we used to stay." Weiss muttered. "Blake, there are red stains of the floor…"

"It's just wine, Weiss. God, this place isn't that bad." Blake licked her lips, gaze returning to the window. Her eyes following the cars in the street. "I step foot in this place I'm greeted with a warm welcome and a hearty hello. I'm not sneered at and told to put my ears away." With that, she tossed the roll of tape back in her bedside drawer and stretched. "That's the kind of humble hospitality you just don't get anywhere else, not in Atlas, anyway."

"As if I'd ever say something like that to you in my own house." A roll of icy blue eyes and a flick of her wrist, she pushed back the long white curtain of hair behind her back. She left down more often than not, nowadays.

"You wouldn't, but we both know that Atlas doesn't feel the same way." Blake said with a shrug.

"One day, that will change. That's inevitable." Weiss said, knowing she'd already lost the fight. "In the meantime, if you say this place is wonderful, then I suppose I'll just have to take your word for it. My home is always open to you, if you change your mind."

"I can tell you need convincing, so this time I even have proof." Blake allowed with a satisfied grin. "This place might look like hell, but their food is amazing. It's lunch time, so why not eat here for once?"

Weiss crinkled her nose, looking around the room one last time. As though it might be an indication of how the canteen might look. "If you insist."

"I do, come on." Blake happily pulled Weiss out of the room and towards the canteen. Like so many small disagreements they'd had in their lives, it ended there. Weiss silently maintaining that this was no place for her friend to stay as they continued down the hall.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 Weiss: The Costs of a Good Life**

When she was twenty-five, she reached the peak of her career as a huntress. She knew dragging it out further wouldn't suit her needs. She had to admit, it was a gamble. Setting down her sword and returning to Atlas as she had came with a fair amount of risks. At the time, her team had told her that it just wasn't a good idea. Her heart agreed wholeheartedly, but her mind begged to differ. It was with great reluctance that she returned home to the Schnee family manor.

Carefully, she plastered a smile on her face, offering a faux willingness to marry almost any man that her father tossed at her.

It turned out that luck was on her side. Nolan was a fellow huntsman she'd crossed paths with many times. In her Academy days, it was a yearly occurrence. As an adult their meetings were always pleasant. Nolan was a member of team BRNZ from Shade Academy. He was also the only son of the Porfirio family. They were just as wealthy as any Schnee, and equally renown in Vacuo.

His noble family came from a long line of huntsmen. He followed in the prestigious footsteps of his forbearers. In Vacuo, huntsmen were held to high esteem. Honored the same way that Atlas valued its military. Nolan was certainly nice enough, and plenty handsome. He was a rough a tumble sort of man. His dark red hair constantly long and messy, always hanging in his face. His pink eyes a rarity among his people.

All in all, he had a charming disposition and the bloodline to silence naysayers instantly. Weiss didn't completely hate him, either.

There was only one problem. Nolan simply wasn't born for the stiff demands Weiss expected of him. If he had been a little less wild, slightly more self-aware, it might have worked out. As it stood, his particular failings made them incompatible.

He hated Atlas. He couldn't stand the constant preening required of the upper class. He didn't want to look the part of a noble. He missed his old life, and all of the adventure it offered. He certainly had no interest running in the company that was handed to him on his wedding day. He wasn't ready to figure out the meticulous inner-workings of the dust trade. Nolan might not have cared at all for the legacy he married into, but he was a good man at his core.

Weiss had even been forced to admit that she had found deeper truths within herself because of him. Their sex life had scratched an itch Weiss hadn't even known she had. She had never assumed her experience would go beyond the requirement of procreation. Oh, how wrong she had been. Finding the taste of heady desire hard to silence now that it had been woken from deep within.

After the divorce, Nolan wasn't a horrible father, either. He was a better man for it, often bringing by trinkets and stories from his travels. If anything, their divorce had only strengthened relations between the families and the kingdoms. The argument to allow Atlas a foothold within Vacuo became something that the councils could no longer ignore. The two powerful families were joined by blood, and that was not something to take lightly.

All in all, Weiss was not unhappy with her lot in life…

In fact, not that she was pushing thirty, she thought herself mostly fortunate.

* * *

"Hey, Weiss, I brought that new outfit from Coco's place." Yang called out from someplace within the house. "Where do you want me to stick it?"

"Thanks, you can just set it on the table." She called back, hoping her voice would carry down the hallway.

"Where are you, anyway?" The blonde asked, her voice becoming clearer as she got closer.

"I'm in my bedroom." Weiss called out again, before turning her attention back to her daughter, trying to decide between the powder blue undershirt and the white one. She finally chose the blue, hoping it would be less likely to stain. "Here, let's put this on." She said to her petulant daughter. "Arms up."

"Nu-uh."

"Are you a baby?"

"No."

"Okay. Put your arms up like a big girl." Weiss instructed again, meeting the same resistance as before. Reaching the end of her sanity on this long morning she finally forced the shirt over her daughter's head, the small child flailing around as her head popped out of the fabric with a pout. "Ada, sit still."

"No!" She had her Father's eyes. An impossibly perfect shade of pink.

"Yes."

"I don't want it!" The Schnee blood ran strong too. Stubbornness to a fault to go along with the family's noteworthy white hair and pale complexion.

"Stop fussing. I'm almost done." She ordered through her teeth, finally managing to wrangle both of her daughter's arms into the sleeves and fasten together the entire ensemble.

Yang could only sigh at the mother daughter feud taking place right before her eyes. "This isn't going to work, Weiss."

"Hush, Yang, you're not helping."

"She doesn't want to be crammed in that stupid thing."

"It's the Atlas Academy's daycare uniform. Like it or not, it's the dress code."

"Why in the hell would a day care have a set uniform like that anyway?" Yang muttered under her breath before she clued in on something particular. "Better question, why did you even enroll her in daycare anyway? Wait, don't tell me, your family shipped you off on day one."

"With my bloodline? Not very likely." Weiss scoffed. "Klein's getting on in his years, Yang. He can't be expected to keep up with her. She'll be going to daycare for a few hours every day so that he has less to worry about." Weiss replied, smiling down at her daughter who was now dressed in the white, lacy Atlas Academy jumper. All of the girls in the daycare wore them. "There all done. See? You're very pretty, Ada."

"Yuck." The little girl complained, grabbing at the frills of the jumper. "Get it off."

"It has to stay on." Weiss just sighed.

"Ugh." She grunted, crossing her arms. "Gross."

"Smart kid." Yang said under her breath.

Weiss elbowed her friend in the ribs with more force than she needed. "You're very pretty, Ada." Weiss said again, trying to instill the positive self-image. Instead of listening, her daughter tried to get up and escape. "No. Stay there."

Ada looked up at her mother expectantly with a frown. As if she was about to be subjected to more torture. "Play now?"

No."

"Oh." Ada said, looking around the room for a moment. "Why?"

"I need to brush your hair first."

"Why?"

"Because it's messy." Weiss said, indulging inquisitive nature. "You need to sit still."

As soon as Weiss had her daughter's hair in a satisfactory place the girl messed it up again. The short tendrils were sticking out everywhere, not that her child seemed to mind. "Play now?" She asked pleadingly.

After a long suffering sigh, Weiss finally relented. "Yes, you can go play now."

The blonde could hardly contain her mirth. "I really don't get why you want to send her off to the academy daycare." Yang said as she leaned on the wall to her friend's room. Ada making a quick escape passed her legs. "She's not a hard kid to watch. It's not like I haven't done it before."

"I want her to get accustomed to spending the day away from the household." Weiss said, sitting at her vanity and pulling out her make-up bag.

"If you're just looking for a few hours every day, I can swing that easy. I can always take her with me if I've got any running around to do." Yang shrugged. "Yatsuhashi and I hit up the gym every morning, my afternoon's always free."

"I appreciate the offer, but I must decline. Ada needs to learn to socialize with other children." Weiss replied slowly, as if regretting the words instantly. "

"There's parks for that." Yang said once again, not to be deterred. "Plenty of kids to socialize with around there. Hell, there's one right down the street."

It was with the snap of the foundation bottle that Weiss eyed Yang with no small amount of annoyance. "Why are you so against Ada going to daycare?" She asked, using a sponge to delicately apply the creamy substance. "In another year it'll be off to preschool before she knows it."

"I'm not against it, I'm just not sure you're doing it because you want to…"

"What monster would want to send a little girl with her fame and fortune out into the public eye? That preschool is like a baby piranha tank, brimming with blue blooded children waiting to be turned into little militant racists." Weiss bit out. "Trust me." She said with a sharp scowl. "This is the _last_ thing I wanted for her…"

Yang sighed. "Why not someplace else? There's probably a million daycare centers around here…"

"It's the only one with tight enough security that I trust. No one would even dare harm a hair on her head in Atlas Academy." It was then she set down the small sponge, glaring at it as if it had somehow failed her. "Winter's there most of the time, which is another layer of protection."

"Yeah, well her ticket to freedom is standing right here…" Yang said, waving her hand. "Unless you think I can't protect her."

"Don't be ridiculous." Weiss said with a soft laugh. Even out of the corner of her eye, she saw the tall blonde frame packed with tightly coiled muscle. Yang had always been the physical powerhouse of team RWBY, but with her newfound free time, her hours at the gym had built up. Arguably, she was physically stronger now than she had ever been as a huntress. "Anybody moronic enough to pick a fight with you would end up in a body cast." It wasn't an understatement, either.

"So, what gives?"

"The problem is that I work at least five days a week." Weiss said dryly. "My hours are long and unpredictable. I arranged this so that Klein could drop her off whenever he needed the break. I can't ask you to undertake that kind of commitment."

"Nolan's going to be pissed if he comes back from his mission and finds out that you stuck her in that stuffy old academy." It wasn't a lie, either. He wouldn't be happy. He was almost due to return, and it would be the last thing he'd want to hear about. "I know he's pretty chill about a lot of things, but that won't be one of them. He hates that place." Well, he hated the entirety of Atlesian pride as it stood, but, he was more than willing to keep that to himself.

"Yang please, don't make this harder for me than it is."

"Then don't make it hard. You're the one about to shit a diamond."

Weiss sighed, placing her forehead down onto the vanity and closing her eyes. Somehow, she just knew she was going to regret this. "Okay… Alright, fine. Have it your way. We'll run a trial and see how well this goes. Do whatever Klein tells you to do. However, the moment it becomes an inconveniences for you, you're to tell me immediately. I won't have my daughter placing any burden on your shoulders, Yang. Do you understand?"

"Deal." Yang said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a jumper to torch."

"Of course you do…" Weiss hissed under her breath, not completely sure if Yang had been joking or not.

The Schnee Dust Company had many offices all over Remnant. The main headquarters obviously located within the heart of Atlas, the building standing as a monument to the foundation of the kingdom itself. While the main headquarters attracted the tourists and onlookers, the real bulk of the work couldn't be done without all of the dust mines and the military's might against the Grimm. Therefore, research and development wasn't located in the corporate offices. That section of the company lay buried within the fortifications of Atlas Academy.

The Schnee family had always been strictly rooted in business. They'd always had money, their bloodline hailing back to royal ancestors across the globe. Shrewd practices ensured that they had never been in service to the military. In times of crisis, they had been above the draft. Nearly untouchable, so long as they continued to supply dust from deep within the mines. Many wealthy families benefited that way. The populous concluding that it was more important for noteworthy families to prepare supplies and treaties than it was for them to die on the frontlines.

Winter, ever the trendsetter, thoroughly obliterated that notion the day she set out on her own. She became the first Schnee to properly serve her kingdom with honor and dignity. As such, she was also the first Schnee to have a proper understanding of what it took to survive the harsh world that they lived in. Without her guidance, the company would have lost the monopoly long ago. The competition would be all too willing to claw their way up from the bottom.

Winter also paved the way for her siblings without hesitation.

Weiss was the first to benefit. During her time as a huntress she had only further shattered the concept that a Schnee shouldn't, or wouldn't, dirty her own hands for the sake of her beliefs.

A long day with company proceedings would exhaust her beyond belief. She would go home tired, sometimes not even completely satisfied with the work she'd managed to accomplish. There were times she would take stacks of paperwork home with her. Idly sorting through them in the hours after her daughter settled down for bedtime. The cycle was a vicious one, insipid and uncaring. The nature of the company was a devilish sort of evil.

On the one hand, in Atlas dust was a requirement to survive. Acquiring it wasn't an option, it_ had_ to happen. On the other hand, the cost of dust remained incredibly high. Hundreds of people died yearly in the dangerous trade. Some were poisoned slowly over the years. Others took their last breaths in catastrophic accidents. Machinery failings, Grimm attacks, the volatile dust combusting underground for no explicable reason… The list of dangers grew endless. Then there were those who died at the hands of others. Terrorist groups wanting nothing more than to acquire dust for themselves.

Weiss felt the weight of it all, choosing to bear the burden with a heavy heart, unlike her predecessors. She considered it her sworn duty, perhaps more important than being a huntress could ever be. To uphold her status with the same sort of gravitas was something she demanded of herself.

She ran a company able to spend people's lives against fate. She hated treating every soul as if it were currency to be spent at her whim. It was no wonder why Nolan couldn't bear it. Weiss seriously doubted anyone she held in high esteem could do what she did. It was obvious Winter certainly couldn't, or the company would have fallen into her grasp the moment she reached maturity.

There were some days Weiss even doubted herself. Days like that were often among the worst. Justification harder to come by after seeing the damage dust could do. But, then she would return home, and step through her front door.

"Welcome home, Weiss."

"Good evening, Klein." She said softly as he took her coat and hung it up in the nearby closet. "I take it Ada has already been put to bed."

And just like that, she knew the gift that dust could give. Countless people benefited, kept safe and warm. The masses nestled safely within the kingdoms, because dust made large settlements possible. It gave the academies the firepower. They were able to train the hunters and huntresses needed to subdue the Grimm. Most in the heart of the kingdoms had never come face to face with a Grimm because of it. Dust made such blissful naivety possible. countless people would never need to vow their lives to battle. Thousands more would vow, but never truly see combat. Those thousands would never know the agony of building a mass grave, or watching a village turn to ash in a single night.

If that wasn't worth the price of acquiring dust, absolutely nothing was.

"Eight-o-clock, on the dot." He nodded competently. The bedtime itself the very same one that Weiss had abided by when she was so young. "Her dinner tonight consisted of a bowl of sliced fruit, and a small plate of spaghetti. Both of which I regretfully report ended up everywhere besides where it was meant to go."

"Sounds about right." Weiss deadpanned as she slipped off her shoes and left them on the small rack by the door. "Please tell me Yang followed your instructions…"

"If by follow, you mean pointedly ignore…" Klein trailed off. "Ada's breakfast somehow found its way to being a syrupy covered nightmare, and her lunch was the equivalent of filth."

"Pancakes and fast food." Weiss easily translated, hardly surprised. Making her way into her kitchen. "Was that the worst of it?"

"Hardly. If that were the extent of the ruckus, I'd hardly be surprised. Miss Xiao Long has always been known to invite havoc with her wherever she goes." It was then he smiled, even if only slightly. "Her ability to be an effective tutor concerns me. Miss Xiao Long turned everything into a game. Studying colors somehow equated to finger painting, and counting turned into a glorified mess of toys all over the living room. When I asked what could possibly be wrong with paper and flashcards, she poked me in the nose with a dollop of red paint."

"And you thoroughly enjoyed it." She said, watching as Klein bustled around at the stove, preparing warm water for the cup of tea Weiss usually expected once arriving home.

"As uncivilized as it might make me sound, yes. I most certainly did." Klein agreed. "I quite enjoyed the entire afternoon. My knees haven't ached all day. Though, I didn't find myself with much to do." He looked properly dismayed at that. "This home doesn't exactly require the same sort of proceedings that your father's mansion does. The cleaning isn't a formidable task, either."

"A large single family home wouldn't be as troublesome as the estate. I explicitly intended it that way when I had it built." Weiss said with a careless shrug. "I wasn't about to claim the mansion as my home. No one needs that much space. Not in this day and age. Frankly, even when I lived there, I found it much too overwhelming."

She'd had this house built from the ground up to her particular demands. It was on the larger side, the upstairs containing two small wings with four bedrooms on each side. However, it was nothing like the massive mansion that her father lived in. The place was too large for its own good. Containing sprawling wings, and that didn't even take into consideration all of the facilities one expected from such finery.

"Be that as it may, I feel a little guilty remaining under your employ when I have very little to do." He'd brought the mug of tea just as he knew she liked it. He took his time settling it delicately in front of her. Then he prepared his own tea and pulled himself a chair. "When you inherited my contract, I thought for sure you'd have another use for this old man. Something other than setting the coffee in the morning and tea in the evening. Ada was perhaps my one and only task, and today I came to the conclusion that I'm not longer suited to even that."

"I demanded your contract because I needed someone in my household that I could trust." Weiss said, sipping at her tea and gazing at the aging man in front of her. "You know the sort of documents I keep in my home office. I rarely use it the same way father does his, but, the documents are there either way. As for Ada, you are invaluable. Klein, I don't think I would have survived her first year without you."

"You would have done just fine."

"I highly doubt that."

"Preposterous." Klein said softly, mostly to himself. "Snowflake, you give yourself entirely too little credit when it's due."

"Perhaps. Or, it could simply be that I know strictly who to hire to make my life easier." She said, watching the way his mustache ruffled with the downturn of his upper lip. "I know you don't see me as a tyrant, but, I'm a Schnee. I'm prone to all of the same trappings of those before me." She said, looking down into her mug. The dark tea reflecting her image murkily. "I won't pretend otherwise."

"You don't have to pretend at all."

Although she was positive that he truly believe that, she could not. There were so few people she could speak with so candidly. Fewer still, who knew the depths of her history. "It terrifies me to think that I might one day lose sight of who Ada is to me. That, like my parents before me, I might forget my foremost responsibility to my own child."

Klein let a soft sound slip passed his lips. "Well, I suppose it depends on how you view that foremost responsibility."

"Nolan and I fully plan to raise her well." Weiss said, as though that were obvious. "Still, if our vision of what that might be… If that's irreparably wrong somehow… I'd never forgive myself." Leaning her elbow on the table she tucked her chin into her palm, regarding him with the deepest sincerity she often closed away. "I know that if I were to become horrendously negligent, you would never let Ada falter. You would do your utmost to protect her, just as you did for me. Never feel guilty for being my butler, Klein. If it gives my daughter a good life, then, that's all that matters."

Weiss finished her tea before bidding Klein a good night.

She stopped by her daughter's room, looking in to see the girl asleep in her small bed. It was made for little ones, low to the floor in case they managed to tumble out of it at night. Satisfied that Ada wouldn't soon wake up from her slumber, Weiss made her way to her own room.

With a flip of the light, she took notice of the small calendar near the door. Two more weeks until Nolan returned from his next mission. Two more weeks until she could scratch an itch that had been building. She could just see it now. He would come walking into the household like he own the place, send her one of his charming little smirks. She'd be on her back pinned beneath him before she knew it.

A shaky breath left her lips. She forced herself to steady herself against the anticipation.

Several long held grievances bubbled in her mind. It was improper to sleep with her ex-husband the way she did. So willing to accept him into her bed even after divorcing him. If her friends knew the sordid details, they'd likely be confused. Yang would probably shrug it off as no big deal. Ruby wouldn't understand it, crinkling her nose and calling the entire situation weird. Blake would likely be the one to take the most issue with it, questioning the moral compass that guided the action.

Weiss wished she had a good excuse, but it was hard to come by. She had to admit, sex itself had eventually become extremely satisfying. It was the aftermath that left a gaping void.

It was a discovery made in the weeks following her wedding night. Weeks that had changed her perceptions of relationships forever. She had absolutely no experience. No possible way to comprehend the nature of carnal pleasure. She recalled the silent horror of seeing his arousal for the first time, knowing exactly where his manhood was going to end up. Expectations of what she was supposed to do weighing heavily on her mind. She didn't think herself capable of enjoying it. Even if she could, a small part of her struggled with wanting to.

As if it somehow made her a lesser person to enjoy something so baser in nature.

Nolan had been unbelievably kind and gentle, but the first time had been hell. There wasn't a question about that. The ache between her legs had been a mix of disgust and pain. She forced herself to grit her teeth and bear it, because that's what a wife did. Virginity itself a harsh adversary to overcome with a man so well endowed. That her mind was focused on anything else she could think of didn't help mitigate the discomfort. Feeling him release the first time, his seed throbbing into her had done nothing bit inspire a sick feeling in her gut.

The second night had been easier. The third, routine.

It was the fourth night when the shock value of seeing the aftermath on the sheets subsided. She was used to his size. It no longer hurt. When she gazed at the trickles of lube and mixed arousal she was able to do so with a clinical eye. No longer seeing it as bodily filth that had expelled from their bodies. She realized there wasn't anything inherently wrong with it.

The fifth night, she finally relaxed. Knowing exactly where Nolan's hands tended to wander, knowing now what those small cues of his meant. She was able to better accept the sensations and reciprocate in kind. It was then, that a pang of something else sparked within her. Trickles of arousal dampening her in ways she had never once thought humanly possible. It didn't just feel good. It felt great. Wonderful enough to keep doing it until her thighs were glistening with the mess she made.

She'd ridden those lusty waves to their foreseeable conclusion ever since. Once the orgasm ended, the voiceless sadness she had no words for began.

Weiss needed someone who would match her life's ambitions and feed her intellectual desire. She wanted passion. She craved love.

Those were things Nolan just couldn't provide.

* * *

"So, I was thinking, it might be time to settle down someplace…"

There were so few things that could make Weiss choke on her coffee. The statement had floored her. Of all of the lunch breaks Weiss had chosen to take, this one had been well worth the havoc to her schedule. Blake had explained her personal situation so offhandedly that Weiss could have sworn she was hallucinating. A glance to the side earned her an eyeful of Yang's expression, equally shocked. The tiny paper ball the blonde had been rolling dropped from her fingertips.

"Blake, you know that Ruby's going to go back out there eventually." Yang said, finding her voice first. "You don't have to stop being a huntress just because she's taking a little break. There are plenty of solo missions out there."

"It's not just the missions." Blake murmured shyly. "I mean, part of it _is_ the missions, but that's not the only thing going on. If it was, I'd just suck it up and count the days until Ruby and I are out there taking out Grimm again." No, what plagued the Faunus was something more delicate. She had no words for that problem, and refused to dump that particular edge of loneliness onto her friends. "The thing is, I don't know if Ruby will want to go back to the bounties that we were always so well known for. They're dangerous, and with the baby…"

"You don't think she'll risk it." Yang said knowingly.

"Well, would you?" Weiss gawked at the blonde.

"As a huntress, she might not have a choice." Yang shot back. "Currier missions don't pay much."

"There are safer jobs that do." Weiss said with a roll of her eyes.

"Money isn't a concern.." Blake cut in.

Weiss and Yang looked at her quizzically, but the Faunus could only offer a slight smile. "It's not my place to discuss Ruby's finical situation, so I'll speak of mine. When the high ranking missions were out of reach, we'd pull low ranking missions two or three at a time. Then we would split our bounties in half after you two retired. We might have been two huntresses down, but we didn't lessen our workload."

Weiss and Yang let that sink in. The two of them silent as they worked through the implications. Finally, Weiss found her voice. "I presume you planned it that way…"

"It wasn't a bad idea." Blake shrugged. "So, we kicked our mission running into high gear. Blasted our way through anything that we knew we'd be able to take down. It was exhausting, but it really paid off. Sun did the same with his team. So long as they're careful with spending it, they could supplement their earnings. Ruby would never need to hunt Grimm again."

"I don't know about this, Blake. If you did retire from missions, what would you do?" Yang asked then. "You might be on the nearing older end for a mission running huntress, but you're still young in life. Trust me, you'll need a hobby or something. Even if you never have to work another day in your life, it'll get boring with nothing to do."

"I'd have to find a job eventually." Blake said with a laugh. "I'm not that rich. As long as I say in the dorms though, I'm good for a good few years. I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. I'm just thinking it might be time to change paths..."

"The relief programs always need experienced hunters. Each kingdom has one, you have plenty of options." Weiss said conversationally as their food finally arrived. She eagerly reached for the dressing for her chicken salad, pulling off the small plastic lid. "Or, given your expertise, you could be a recruiter."

"Don't forget teaching." Yang added. "Though you'd either have to take classes for that, or teach out of a huntsmen's academy."

"I hate teaching." Blake said, lemon in hand as she squeezed it over her beer battered cod. "And most of the relief programs would take me outside of the kingdoms. I don't know if I'd want to go that far on my own. Being stationed in a strange village for years without one of you going with me? I don't think I'd handle that very well."

"That depends on the program, Blake." Weiss said, slowly. She poked at a piece of chicken thoughtfully before eyeing her friend. "It's true that many of the programs reach far beyond the kingdom borders, but, not all of them. There _are_ programs surfacing from within kingdom walls…but…well, they're new. Experimental, really. You should look into those."

"I thought we weren't supposed to talk about that." Yang teased from between a bite of her hamburger.

Weiss shot back. "I never said we couldn't discuss the matter among friends."

"Just what on Remnant have you gotten up to while I've been gone?" Blake asked with a smirk.

"A whole lot more than she lets on." Yang laughed, taking another large bite of her meal. "I can't even keep up with it all anymore."

"Long story short, the dust mines are dangerous." Weiss told her. "Every year, children are left orphaned due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control. Company policy has always been to send these children to SDC shelters to be raised until they come of age. Some are adopted, most aren't. Older children are raised to learn the dust trade. As adults, they're instantly offered jobs at the SDC. I'm positive my father did this in order to continually feed families back into the mines."

It was then Weiss paused, pulling out her scroll and rummaging through its many files. She finally stopped on one of them, setting her scroll down in the center of the table. The photograph was of a new building, but what caught Blake's eye were the many people standing in front of it.

"Our primary goal is still to find them homes. There's a lot of screening involved, especially when it comes to Faunus children. It's not uncommon for families to adopt them and raise them into servants. It's hard to find true Faunus advocates in Atlas, which is why I don't advertise these positions openly. Frankly, I don't trust the integrity of the company, either. Who knows what sort of seedy places those children might end up?" Weiss shrugged then, closing her scroll and returning to her meal. "It's a work in progress."

Blake felt her thoughts tumble around inside of her head. A conflict striking her. On the one hand, those were the sorts of businesses practices she used to argue against. On the other, Weiss wouldn't continue the program if it proved to be insidious. "That sounds difficult." She managed, unable to pinpoint why she felt so uncomfortable thinking about it. Her youth in the White Fang had carved her assumptions of the SDC deeper than she would have liked. Even while she trusted Weiss implicitly, it was clear that Weiss did not trust the company.

That alone was plenty of endorsement to be cautious of it.

"It can be very hard. I've considered closing down the program, but, there's reward in all of it too." Weiss said slowly, as if considering the thought for the umpteenth time. "You know, Blake, my contacts spread far beyond business. I try to work alongside the kingdoms as avidly as possible. There are plenty of other programs geared to help mitigate the loss of life and limb. No matter what program you take interest in, hunters are an integral part of them. If you're truly looking to retire from missions, you really should stop by at the headquarters. I'd be able to go over all of your options with you there…"

Blake only took a breath, nodding. "I'll think about it."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 Ruby: An Imperfect Emulation**

Ruby had always known that she had big shoes to fill. The legacy left behind by Summer Rose was no small void. In some ways it had been intimidating. In others it had been empowering. Now that she was older, Ruby could see the darker reality. She could boil down all of the mundane truths. Study all of the things she had easily taken for granted. Summer had played a masterful game, whispering thousands of little white lies to protect her family.

At the forefront of her image, she was a loving wife and mother. Cookies and tall tales one moment, gentle chidings and scolding's the next. Skinned knees and shadows under the bed had been no match for her. Meals around the table and nights sat by the fire were expected. All of had been so easily received, and yet, so quickly lost.

Behind that matronly image, a seasoned warrior nursed her wounds. The loss of comrades had been expected. The pools of blood caused by the Grimm were unavoidable. Endless mission failures rested heavily on the leader, and she endured the weight of those shortcomings to the best of her ability.

Everything was compounded by the rampant sins bogging down the family, and the work that eventually killed Summer Rose, ending an era in an instant.

Ruby now understood that she had been blissfully ignorant as a child. It was all because her parents wanted it that way. Free from worry, as unjaded as possible. Summer had juggled a dual life so perfectly that neither Ruby nor Yang could truly fathom the cost until it had been paid. To those that loved her, she had been a wonderful lover, mother, and huntress. On paper, it seemed simple enough.

Almost expected, really.

Reality had been different. Summer's life had been a gritty, unkempt, mess. Plied by her vices and fortified by love. Everything she did was an act thrown together by a smile and determination. No one could really be that perfect. Ruby often wondered what it might be like to do what Summer did, walking that fine line with expert precision. She had wanted to know Summer's life so badly that she had begun to follow in her footsteps from a very young age.

Signal had been an eye opening experience. A testament to the skill a huntress would need to merely survive outside of the kingdoms. Beacon, showed that Ruby's path would never quite be the same. It was upon graduation that her footsteps began to drift from the path that Summer had walked. Missions were her main priority for years. Romance came later, with the slow passage of time.

Ruby was twenty eight and just now starting her family, a sharp contrast to the way that team STRQ had gone about things. Still, as impossible as it was, she wanted to follow Summer's example. Continuing a legacy far greater than she had ever given the woman credit for.

* * *

The slow and steady sound of chopping wood echoed from outside. Sun was hard at work turning a tree into manageable portions. The house always needed something fixed. Log cabins were in constant need of repairs. Tacking on an entire basement to clean and a shed to paint, there wasn't a shortage of jobs to be done.

A laundry basket balanced between her left hand and her hip. Her right hand gathered empty plates as she passed by the living area. She only stopped in the kitchen to put the dishes in the sink. Then she headed to the small laundry room located in the basement. The mundanity of chores were the thing she hated most. Maintaining a household wasn't as easy as maintaining a single room inside a dorm. Her years as a huntress had made some life skills impossible to learn.

Before, she hadn't been home long enough before to ever worry about it. Now, she didn't have missions as an excuse. The crying baby upstairs demanded a steep learning curve.

Ruby upturned the entirety of the basket into the washer, splashed in some detergent, and turned on the machine before leaping up the stairs. Her semblance coming to good use as she reached the crib in record time. She wouldn't have changed anything in the world. Even so, life had gotten incredibly difficult with the addition of the baby to worry about. No single chore ever fully seemed to reach its end. Something always needed cleaning, folding, put away, picked up, cooked, or retrieved from the store…

Any number of errands seemed to pile up without anyone in the household noticing.

There were times it felt almost overwhelming. Moments, like today, when her father was away on training missions with Signal's best and brightest. She wished her father's wealth of expertise would come in handy. Her daughter had other plans. It didn't seem to matter what she did to soothe her little girl. Keiko was fussy this afternoon, unwilling to be put down for a second without a crying fit.

Every time Ruby thought she might have a moment of peace to get something done, Keiko would immediately cry again.

She felt the growing frustration of helplessness as she picked up the little Faunus. The monkey-tailed child desperately seeking the physical contact of her mother. With a vexed sigh, Ruby popped the pacifier between Keiko's lips for the countless time. Several tidbits of sage advice came to mind as Ruby settled herself in a small armchair in the corner of the room.

_"Ruby, you can't sweat the small stuff. Sometimes it's a shitty day, and you've just got to ride it out."_ Her father had explained with a shrug. He'd taken Keiko's fussiness in stride when the new parents hadn't. Letting experience resign him to a day of plans upheaved in that single instant. _"The way I've always looked at things is this; if it's not going to impact tomorrow, why let it torture you today, right? No point in doing that, now is there?"_

Weiss had been equally willing to impart the obvious struggles inherent to parenthood. _"It's a lot of lost sleep and paranoia. The first several months were difficult with Ada. Nothing seemed to go right. I felt so utterly useless and frustrated." _Weiss had confided the day Ruby had gone into labor. Several long hours at Vale's local hospital, and Ruby's intensifying nervousness allowing the two women ample time to have a heart to heart. _"If you ever reach a point when you need to rant, call me. I've been there. I'll listen."_

_"Eh, whenever you started up, I'd just tuck you into the crook of my arm and plant my ass in front of the television." _Qrow mentioned in passing, toying with his flask as he strolled down memory lane. Rare as it was for him to do, she had listened eagerly to his memories on the subject._ "If you were really freaking out I'd go warm up a blanket a little and swaddle you in that. Usually helped, unless you were really bitching about something."_

Her thoughts drifted idly to Summer Rose. What would her own mother have done in a situation like this? Ruby didn't know. She certainly couldn't ask her. Such a simple comfort was an alien concept. Summer had passed away so many years ago. Ruby couldn't even recall her mom's voice anymore. Time had faded that, and so many other things. Idly, her fingers brushed the short strands of hair on her daughter's head. If only there was a more experienced woman she could call.

If only she had someone with a wealth of answers to talk to now.

Ruby knew strong men, proud fathers. Those were the role models that had shaped her entire worldview as a child. Among her friends, the men were the ones to lead by example. On occasion, very poor examples, but they had easily left their impression. Women seemed non-existent, distant either by choice or circumstance. Three out of the four members of team RWBY alone hailed from these broken homes that had ultimately lacked a mother's love in some form or another.

Blake was the outlier to all ways. The solitary Faunus. The luxury of both loving parents. Unsheltered and well-traveled well before her time.

Ruby didn't know Kali very well, having only spoken with the woman a few times. It still brought a smile to her face. Summer and Kali would have likely become fast friends. Perhaps just as close as Ruby had become with Blake. They'd probably sit at the kitchen table and tell embarrassing stories all day long. Ruby wished she could have seen something like that. She wished that life would have provided just one such experience. For whatever reason fate had decided, it just wasn't meant to be.

So, she reached for her scroll and called Weiss. It rang three times before the white hared woman spoke up.

"Schnee speaking."

"Hey Weiss." Ruby said slowly, feeling as though she was going to end up being a burden. "How's your day going?"

"Long." Weiss said, the sounds of keys tapping away promised that she wasn't lying. "Yours?"

"Its fine, I guess." Ruby began, hesitating as she looked down to her child. Tired silver eyes looked back, the baby fighting sleep for as long as she could. "I just called to see what was up. If you're busy I can let you go."

"I wouldn't be answering my own line if I couldn't carry a conversation." Weiss said then. "It's about lunchtime anyway. I shouldn't even be working right now."

Ruby had vivid flashbacks to her friend's workaholic tendencies. There were more than a few interventions over the years. The team using any excuse to distract Weiss whenever it was possible. "Then why are you?" She asked then, thinking another day of forced relaxation might be in order soon enough.

"So that I can go home as soon as the office hours come to an end." It was then the typing ceased. A long breath of exasperation dragging along the line. "Why else would I subject myself to a barrage of correspondence so late in the afternoon?"

The rhetorical question needed no response, and Ruby laughed nervously. "Right, that makes sense."

A small chime in Ruby's ear made her pull the scroll away. It was a request for a video conference. Her thumb fell over the little green button, and moments later Weiss Schnee came into view. It had been a while since they'd seen each other. Weiss leaned back in her chair wearing what could only be described as a power suit. The white ensemble demanding respect. On the desk a china teacup sat on a saucer. A tray of finger sandwiches rested beside it.

"So," Weiss began conversationally, reaching for one of the bitesize morsels. "Care to tell me what's really going on?"

Ruby felt her teeth clamp down on her tongue out of reflex. The smile came easier than she thought it would, an honest levity mixing with the sensation of being overwhelmed. Those stern blue eyes looked just exhausted as she felt, albeit for a completely different set of reasons. There was a warming sense of comfort in that. Even Weiss Schnee had yet to reach her own concept of perfection, impossible as that was. Their efforts would always be futile. They were ridiculous notions by default.

And yet, they'd both strived for those qualities anyway. It's what made them such good friends, at least when they weren't at each other's throats.

"I'm just tired." Ruby said as she set her scroll upright, leaning it against one of the baby books on a nearby dresser. "I really missed you guys…"

"The feeling's mutual." Weiss allowed, her aloof admission telling far more than honesty ever would. Her pride had always been unkind to her. "You should have moved to Atlas when you had the chance."

There were times Ruby would have agreed, but, that wasn't the life she'd wanted for Keiko. Atlas wasn't like Vale. It was a busy place, always crowded and constantly chilly. She found her gaze touching upon the window. The sunlight peeking through the thick foliage in the distance. She had wanted Keiko to have these long and lazy mornings. Days spent with little regard for the personal conflicts that would befall Faunus within the kingdoms.

"Do you think Sun and I made the wrong decision?"

Weiss narrowed her eyes in the same way she always used to. There was a time it happened often when Ruby managed to slightly annoy her. Now, along with it came a spark of concern too. "In what way?"

Ruby shrugged then, as if her question was a non-issue, bushing it aside as if it were nothing. That alone made it a very large something.

Something so intruding, in fact, that Weiss leaned forward when no reply came. "Ruby…" She warned, her tone edging. "Don't make me come back out there and drag it out of you in person. I will, and you know that's not an idle threat. I'll bring Yang with me."

"Was it a mistake to stay on Patch?"

Blue eyes blinked several times, half a finger sandwiching disappearing through her lips as Weiss chewed through her confusion. Even that was not enough to soothe her baffled expression when she shook her head. "I'm not going to dignify that with my opinion."

"Weiss-"

"No." Weiss said cutting her off and reaching for another finger sandwich. "Ruby, it's not my choice. Obviously I would have liked to have you closer to us, but, that's just me being selfish."

"I didn't think this would be so hard." Ruby finally admitted softly.

"Yes, well…" Weiss paused, watching Ruby's somber expression as she concluded the inevitability of it all. "I won't sugar coat it. If it were easy, many people wouldn't have failed us so completely when we were children. Yet, here we are. In one piece, more or less."

Ruby let out a little puff of air, looking down at Keiko. "That we are." She murmured. "For better or worse. I just hope it's not the worse. I guess…I just… I'm afraid I'm going to screw things up."

The non-committal sound Weiss allowed crackled as it came through the speaker. "Would it help if I told you that everyone probably doubts themselves at least a little bit?"

"I don't know." Ruby said before biting her lip. "Maybe…"

"Honestly? Ruby, I'd be pretty angry with you if you didn't worry at least a little." Weiss said with a sigh. "We're bound to have our failings too, after all. Being aware of them should be a concern, and that's just the way it is. Just this morning I raised my voice when I probably shouldn't have, but, Ada has my stubbornness, and my temper. It's going to happen from time to time."

"You're right…but still."

"Despite what you may think, it wouldn't have been any easier for you up here." A twinge of her own self-deprecation colored her pale features. "You'd have those bags under your eyes regardless of where you lived. You'd still be second-guessing yourself over every little thing. I don't know if there's a time that you won't…" A long silence between them caused Weiss to rub her eyes tiredly. "I second guess myself almost daily, but, I also know that I have to be doing something right. Besides, I thought you wanted to give Keiko the same sort of upbringing you had growing up?"

"That was the original plan. Now I'm starting to think I'm just being selfish."

"Then just be selfish. Unrelentingly so, if you feel that to be the best course of action." Weiss said carelessly, as she picked a straying piece of lettuce from the sandwich. "Besides, you certainly wouldn't be able to live the same way up here. Atlas has many fine qualities. Living off the land simply isn't one of them. It just wouldn't be feasible with a baby so young. The Grimm are too large, and the weather can be unpredictable."

"If the cities weren't so busy, maybe I'd consider living up there. Honestly, I just miss having everyone close by. With Yang back in Atlas and Blake away on a trip, everything is just getting to me." Ruby's gaze strayed, finding it hard to look at the camera. "Dad's on a training mission, and I feel like I'm running the gauntlet. I got sidetracked and charred breakfast to a crisp this morning. The kitchen still smells like burnt eggs. I really wish someone would have taught me how to survive in my own kitchen."

"Ah, kitchens, one of the many banes a hunter encounters once they've settled into domestic living." Weiss laughed then. "At least you haven't managed to break a dishwasher."

"oh yeah, I did that too. It was just a long time ago." Ruby smirked. "I was just a little kid and Yang was in charge of helping me. We broke ours together. what's your excuse?"

"Beacon trains us for the wilds, but it leaves us very ill-prepared for life inside the kingdoms." Weiss commented with a roll of her eyes. "I wish I could say I was blissfully exempt from the common mistakes, but, I was just as woefully unprepared as you are. Just remember, it takes time to acquire those skills." Weiss said thoughtfully, a shiver working its way unpleasantly down her spine as she scoffed. "You can follow the recipes all you want, but I'm afraid there's just no substitute for practice…"

"How have you been doing, really?" Ruby asked then.

"I'm alright."

"Seriously..." Ruby pressed. "Weiss, you look just as tired as I am."

"What can I say? I live a tiring life." Weiss said to her. "We're both lonely, it seems. It's just that we're lonely in different ways."

* * *

Ruby missed her friends, she wouldn't even think to deny that.

She wished Yang would have stayed a little longer for the moral support, but Yang had her own lover to return to. Her life had been waiting for her to pick up where it had left off. Besides, the blonde wouldn't be gone long. Yang was already hard at work planning a summer trip, fully intending to bring her husband along with her next time.

Thankfully those small pangs of loneliness were easily soothed away by the strong arm that wrapped around her that night at dinner. The monkey Faunus giving her the sweetest peck on the lips as he took the baby from her for the first time that day. The sky was painted in evening hues, and he was happy to set the long list of chores aside to wait for the next sunny day.

"Did you manage to get the shed cleaned up?" She asked him as their noses brushed against one another. A small laugh slipping from her lips when Sun leaned down, placing a kiss on the nape of her neck.

"Nope, not all of them." He said, another kiss delaying any elaboration as it lingered. "I managed to get the roof patched up though."

"I heard that part." Ruby told him. "So did the baby."

"Woke her up from her nap, didn't I?"

Ruby nodded, holding back a yawn. "Several times."

"I'll make it up to you." He said, holding aloft a well-worn basket that smelled distinctly like the river. "I managed to catch dinner."

"I'll go start a fire then." She said giving Sun another quick kiss in passing.

Sun had always been a fun person to be around. That was really how it started. Yearly tournaments in the academies almost assured team SSSN's visits to the festivals. Early on, his attraction to Blake had been the primary gossip among their friends, but somewhere along the way, that early romance had fizzled out. No one thought too heavily on the topic. Their relationship had never been serious enough to be a concern in the first place. Youth and the distance between the academies were likely partly to blame.

Ruby wasn't completely sure. She had been too focused on being a huntress to be interested in the idea of a relationship at the time. That went double for her friends. She tried not to think about it. Still, as a huntress, she had been drawn to him even then. He was a wild boy back then, always looking for a thrill or a good laugh to pass the time. He was not unlike Yang in the way trouble seemed to find him at every turn. He grinned and laughed his way through most of the adversity he faced, both as a Faunus, and as a huntsman. There was a lot to admire about that, and about the way he jumped headfirst into any problem his friends might be having.

As a young adult he began to mellow, joint missions between Vale and the other kingdoms allowed for plenty of passing visits between the two teams. Ruby could never really explain her attraction to Sun. It wasn't as easy as listing all of the qualities that he seemed to have. It wasn't complicated enough to require introspection. There was no great euphony, or breathtaking realization. It was as simple as friendship growing over time.

At lot of it came down to the little things. Times she didn't have the words for. Moments adding up over those long years in the field.

He was baser, perhaps, than other Faunus she knew. Brushing aside snide comments with ones of his own. He was happy not to be human, and happy not to care what that might mean. It was the way he poked the fire on a long mission's night, the way he scratched the back of his head when something perplexed him, and that shit-eating grin when he was about to do something he wasn't _exactly_ supposed to do. There were a great many things he would never think twice about, going with the flow of wherever life took him.

At the end of the day, Sun Wukong was a simple man with easy to attain goals.

He rather liked fish cooked over an open flame, nothing more than a pinch of seasoning to flavor it. The days out in the wilds never truly leaving him as he leaned over the fire pit in the same old way he always did. He didn't think too critically about the baby swaddled up and resting on the thick log. His tail was flexible enough to hold her safely, cradling her close without a worry in the world. He was content enough to wrap his arm around Ruby, not saying a word as they watched his fresh meal cook over the flame.

He once said there was nothing more rewarding than that. Something deep within him telling him to tend to his family. It wasn't uncommon to forage as a hunter, but Sun did it more out of instinct than starvation. He'd brought home a bowl of berries, snacking on the fruit as though they were candy. Actually, they were better than candy, or so he had eagerly proclaimed after finding the bushes they grew on.

Ruby reached for one of the dark little fruits, smelling the sweetness as she perched it to her lips. She had eaten so many of these on the road. Berries in Vale, grapes in Mistral, figs in Vacuo, and beets in Atlas. Each kingdom had their own native plants, but there was something extra special about the berries on Patch.

She didn't miss the smirk pulling at the corners of his lips, his own self-satisfied assurance that he'd done a good job.

"We're trading tomorrow." Ruby said then.

"Huh, what do you mean?" He asked, only for Ruby to place a sweet berry to his lips in offering.

"Tomorrow, you get to spend the day with Keiko, and I'll clean out the shed." She told him, watching as Sun nodded his head in understanding.

As she looked back to the fire, she still had to wonder what Summer would have done. She might never know, but, wondering had always been half the fun.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 Blake: The Atlesian Way, Part 1**

Blake had always appreciated tranquil mornings and time to herself. In her youth it had been a precious resource that she fiercely guarded with her aloof temperament and silent glares. With four young women in a stuffy dorm room, what else was she to do? Her teammates ran the gambit from rowdy to uptight. Each of them had been similar enough to get along, and different enough to spark arguments that even the walls of Beacon couldn't properly contain.

Weiss maintained liberal use of dust. Yang was equally willing to use her fists. Between the two of them team RWBY caused more than its own fair share of property damage. In fact, it ran in the blood, or so Ozpin jovially commented on their graduation day. The unmitigated destruction only rivaling that of team STRQ in Beacon's storied history. Given the destruction Qrow and Winter managed to cause every time they crossed paths, it wasn't hard to assume that such hyperbolic displays of power were actually genetic.

As they grew older, the years had been kinder to their collective sanity and Blake's sensitive hearing.

Yang had been high energy partner, always in need of a way to pass the time. Weiss had insisted on keeping busy strictly on principle, her honor as a huntress always remaining at the forefront of her mind. Even when the two of them had left the team, Blake hadn't been allowed to rest for too long. Ruby had been a tireless leader in the wilds, Blake often forgot how to relax while within the confines of the kingdoms.

Blake had been happy the first day that she managed to read a thick tome cover to cover without a single interruption. The novelty soon tapered off, a few quiet mornings quickly turned into too much time with absolutely nothing to do. It was too quiet in her solitary dormitory. Now, there was only silence to return to. No one to greet her, or to idle away the hours at laundromat. There was no mindless chatter, no soft breathing besides her own to fill the otherwise empty void. No sounds of a team living life around each other.

No one to share her life with…

"And that's what it comes down to at the end of the day, doesn't it?" Blake sighed then as she closed her book. No one was around to hear even that small admission. No one was there to tell her how ridiculous she was being, or to distract her from the cynicism that inhabited her lonely thoughts. She pulled her blanket up around her knees. Another day passing by without her. The outside world would continue to turn no matter what. Even if she chose not to participate in the goings-on around her.

She wasn't the center of the universe. She never had been, and ultimately never would be. Logically, she knew that. Yet, her time among a team had proven otherwise. It had murmured little promises against her deepest fears. It had promised that her desires actually mattered. That _she_ actually mattered. For that brief time that they were whole, Blake hadn't felt so pointless. The three people around her had given her a place to belong. Agency, in a world where Faunus had so little of it.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I really hate being alone…"

Only silence could answer back.

* * *

There was only so much solitude Blake could take before it weighed heavily on her mind.

Finally she joined the blonde at the local gym. Yang had only increased the number of hours a week she spent pumping iron. She refused to let her body or her aura become sluggish after retirement. Blake often wondered if Yang had actually managed to grow stronger from her new routine, in spite of having no life-threatening adversaries to go up against. One thing was for sure though, even the Atlesian military noticed. The recruits would often gather to the beaten down haunt that Yang liked to frequent, gaping at her like fish out of water. Young men and women alike coming to test their might against a true huntress.

Even Winter occasionally attended, reminding herself just what a huntress trained to battle Grimm could do.

"And to think, there was once a time that Weiss stood as her equal." Winter commented, watching Yang pummel another boisterous recruit into the ground without even trying. This particular young man built of nothing but muscle and blind bravado. Neither of which could stand up to Yang's speed or pure experience. "She must have been freighting to face off against in her prime."

Blake only glanced to the side, a knowing smirk plastered heavily across her face. "You're no slouch yourself."

"I'm no huntress either. I leave that work to those far braver than I could ever be." Winter replied in return, blue eyes fixated on the next unofficial round that was about to kick off. "That being said, I am indeed an Atlas Academy graduate. My training was not too dissimilar from yours when I was young."

"All I know for certain is that I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of you." Blake said, admiring the striking features of the older woman. Poised, regal, and still able to do battle with the best of them in spite of her age. A full decade and change older than her sister, Winter hadn't slowed down one bit. Slated to one day take General Ironwood's place, her time to rise to greatness was fast approaching. "I'm surprised you haven't stepped into the ring yourself."

"It would be beneath me to show off like that in front of my newest recruits." Winter replied with a somewhat thoughtful expression. "I can competently hold my ground against any foe I may come up against, but, that's what makes me a specialist. It would be exceedingly rare to expect my skill from most of our forces. I would never draw my sword simply to inspire awe in such a brash manner."

"It's sad to think you won't display your skill. Although, you've hunted Grimm before, haven't you?"

"Part of military duty is to defend those who cannot fend for themselves. That may include doing battle with Grimm on occasion. However, I find that's best left to hunters. Besides boarder defense, we don't take action against Grimm without direct commands from our council. The military specializes in calculated battle, decisive combat. We thrive when we have a methodical adversary. Grimm are baser, unpredictable, they rely on instinct. On principle, we just can't provide the same sort of countermeasures that a team of hunters can."

The newest contender was an Atlas Academy first year enjoying her Saturday off. The girl stood far more of a chance than any adult fresh from the recruitment offices. Her aura had already been trained to take a few hits. Still, even she was wise enough to know that she'd be entering a losing battle. Yang's already charged semblance could cut through the student's aura without much effort at all. Yang grinned either way, red eyes disappearing entirely with a blink. She wanted to have fun with the huntress-in-training.

"Atlas Academy hunters are some of the best, and I don't say that lightly." Blake watched the boxing match begin. It was already off to a explosive start. The student and Yang connecting fists and trading blows left and right. "Why haven't you absorbed most of them into your ranks?"

Perhaps the aspiring general wasn't keen to share those details. She scowled at the question as though it had offended her. A soft sigh was the only indication that it hadn't. She leveled that stern gaze upon Blake, searching the Faunus for any ill intent. She found none and licked her lips, considering the question in a new way. It was a remarkably good inquiry, and one that Winter herself struggled to comprehend the nature of. After several long moments lost within her mind on the subject, she looked around the room. Recruits and students of Atlas Academy alike had gathered together.

The students interacted differently with Yang. Rough and tumble, brash and excited. They traded grins with gleeful insults. To the huntresses, a playful bout in the ring had nothing to do with honor. It was just a good time. For the young huntress currently in the ring with a superior, that's all it had to be.

"I'm not sure, but, the nature of your ilk does tend to partake a more relaxed dynamic than the military ever would. None of my recruits, or even the students, would ever approach me for battle the same way they do with Yang. It would be an insult to my honor, and the military inherently understands this. I only spar with equals unless I am teaching. That's a line I do not cross. Quite simply, many students refuse to join after graduation. Furthermore, hunters use different tactics than we do." Winter explained. "It also doesn't help that our military has something of a reputation…"

"No shit." Blake bit out lowly so that others couldn't hear the unkind comment. "It's full of bigots and assholes."

"Aristocrats, and those who idolize us, I'm afraid." Winter said simply. "No everyone is so obscenely narrow-minded."

Blake was quick to note the woman's unapologetic nature. Winter wasn't a bigot, but, she _was_ part of the inherent problem. She allowed the malignancy of racism to fester among the people of Atlas without speaking out against it. Silence in the face of wrongdoing might as well have been approval. "It's your values that are different, Winter, not just your tactics."

"You think so?"

"I know so." Blake shot back. "It's like you say. Hunters value honor in a different way. Teams would probably be more willing to join if the military housed more likeminded people."

"Whatever the reason may be, hunter recruitment is at an all-time low. We do battle with our technology, it remains our bread and butter." Winter continued on, never taking her eyes off of the student. "Most of our recruits have not endured four years of harsh academy training. They will require that technology to be even remotely effective in the field. Atlas Academy graduates receive an instant leg up in the military, but they rarely accept. Skilled huntresses like yourself always seem to be in short supply."

"We probably wouldn't be so difficult to recruit if hunters didn't have to argue with the military so much." Blake grumbled, her grievances weren't aimed at Winter directly, but they lingered unpleasantly all the same. "The military makes traversing the kingdoms a complete nightmare. Most of us would rather take our chances with the Grimm. That goes double if you're a Faunus."

"Well, that's not my doing, I can assure you of that. Blame the people of Atlas and our esteemed council." Winter murmured under her breath in agitation. The statement not only true, but also very irritating. "I'd like to take this moment to reiterate that not everyone acts so disgustingly. My unit has plenty of Faunus, and we would treat you with the respect you deserve. I agree that it isn't a particularly charmed life, but, you'd likely adjust well to it."

"Trying to pluck me away from Vale?" Blake asked quizzically.

Winter could only issue a small smirk of her own. The tiny shrug that followed one of simple honesty. "Word gets around fast. Shame to retire so young and have so little to look forward to. There are always alternatives Blake, remember that."

Blake didn't feel the need to placate the eldest Schnee sibling with an answer. She doubted Winter expected one, either. Those with atlesian blood were a prideful people to a fault. The military had treated Winter well over the years, and no one could dispute that. The sword at her hip was always kept sharper than Winter might ever admit. She was a force of nature not to be taken lightly, an icon beloved by the people. Still...

The military life wasn't even a consideration Blake wanted to make. So few in the military knew the concept of humility, fewer still putting it to practice. Their reputation preceded them, and as a Faunus, Blake's own notion of pride wasn't one to scoff at either. She couldn't stand willingly in a fighting force that looked down upon everything and everyone that didn't fit their mold. She despised that concept for all it was, and all it would ever be.

She wondered how Yang survived the mundanity of retirement so well. It was a question worth asking. As the military slowly began trickling out of the gym, Winter also said her goodbyes once the sparring had ceased for the morning. For Yang, it was little more than a warm-up. A morning of sparring wasn't complete without a full routine of lifting weights to go along with it. Blake knew she would regret trying to keep pace with Yang, she was always sore the next day, but she followed Yang's routine anyway.

"So what do you and Yatsuhashi do to keep busy?" Blake asked to keep her mind off of the burning in her arms. Many found it terrifying to find out the level of training hunters subjected themselves to on a daily basis. For Yang, that training went to a whole new level. "Besides pummeling unsuspecting muscle heads."

"We work out, we have sex…" Yang took a breath, grinning at Blake with a fifthly little gleam in her eyes. "We have a lot of sex."

"Hobbies, Yang." Blake deadpanned, losing count once again as she deftly placed the barbell off to the side for the obligatory rest between reps Her fingers lifted up to drag away the sweat from her forehead.

"Hmm good question. We eat out a lot, I guess. More than we should." Yang said, her own set of weights firmly in her grasp. "I can't really think of anything we go and do regularly. We've both been a little busy with our own things. By the time we get home a good dinner and terrible movies are about as exciting as we get." It was then her eyes lit up, something else coming to mind. "Oh, porn. We watch a lot of porn, mostly because it can be fun to laugh at. We've gotten some great ideas from some of the better ones though."

"It can't just be erotica with you two." Blake huffed out, an annoyed cadence slipping into her voice.

"It's not just the sex." Yang agreed then. "Never had to marry him if that's all I wanted. He and I crossed that line way before he popped the question."

"So, what keeps you sane, then?" Blake asked again. "You've got to be doing something to pass the time. You've always had way more energy than I do, and I'm sure that the television and library card aren't enough to keep you within the kingdom walls."

"What, looking for ideas for after you retire?"

Blake shrugged, and Yang sighed.

"Gotta be honest here, Blakey, it was a tradeoff." Yang told her. "I had to weigh my options. A little bit of boredom, a whole lot of emotional security. It was an easy choice."

"It doesn't seem so east to me..."

Yang set down the weight and grabbed the towel bunched up on the metal bench. She tossed it around her neck, patting her face with it, stalling for time. Finally, she sat down beside her friend, reaching for her water bottle before regarding Blake earnestly. "The way I see it, if you're going to retire from missions you need a damn good reason." She said as she unscrewed the top and downed what little was left, crinkling the plastic in the process. "He was mine..."

"It's that easy?" Blake said. "Really, Yang, because I don't buy it."

"Well it's not all sunshine, Blakey. I won't tell you that it is." Yang laughed. "I mean, I miss the mission running, sure. I think everyone does at first."

"You could have kept doing it." Blake noted.

"Wasn't going to do that to Yatsuhashi, though." Yang said with a somewhat sad smirk. "One wrong move, I'm dead just like that." She said, snapping her fingers to prove her point. "I wasn't going to let him worry about me. It's not my style. If I went out there, he'd be afraid I'd end up as Grimm chow…and, you know… there's only a matter of time until he'd be right."

"Yang…"

"Nah, Blake, I mean it." Yang told her. "I fight with my fists. My semblance relies on taking hits, and that means putting myself in danger. How long can that really last? I didn't want to find that out the hard way. Missions aren't the only thing I can do. I found out that I'm more useful as a workhorse in the kingdom. I don't need to be an exterminator outside of it."

"And that's good enough for you?"

"Yeah, actually..." Yang said after a moment's thought. "It's more than enough. More than I ever thought I'd get, anyway. If you want to retire out of missions, then you just need to find what works for you…and, you need your reason. Probably best if you find that first."

* * *

A good reason was the one thing Blake didn't think she'd ever find. Her life could be boiled down to a list of justifications, being a huntress was just one of many. She clung to them when she had nothing else. Recently, it felt more and more like she was missing something. What was so great about being a huntress anyway? Why did she even want to continue the task? She didn't know. Her reason had once been her team. The ideology no longer served her well. In fact, she suspected that's why she felt so unhappy.

It wasn't that she cared about being a huntress at all. Rather, she cared about the life it had granted her. The people she'd been fortunate to meet because of it. Letting that end felt like a disservice to herself, and everyone she had come to care for.

Blake didn't imbibe very much anymore. There weren't many types of alcohols a Faunus with her sensitive senses could stomach.

She used to tip back a glass or two after every hunt, but that stopped when Ruby became pregnant. The younger huntress couldn't drink with a baby on the way, and Blake had no interest in going to the tavern alone. That was a good way to end up with a long list of regrets. She had fully planned on spending her night among others at the canteen. There was a comfort in trading stories around the rickety wooden tables, and comfort was what she wanted most. A text on her scroll derailed that plan in favor of a quiet night elsewhere.

Who was she to refuse?

Each breath made for a soft cloud in the northern climate. Aura helped to mitigate the effects of extreme temperatures. It ensured the body stayed hydrated for longer. It killed harmful bacteria quicker. It healed wounds faster. A powerful aura made for a powerful hunter. Blake had been blessed with a robust aura. It was more than capable of withstanding the abuse she put her body through on a regular basis. On long hunts in unfavorable weather the resiliency of her aura mattered more than her fighting ability or her survival skills.

Without her aura, the elements would kill her long before the Grimm had a chance.

She took for granted the frozen temperatures as she stepped outside her dorm in her casual attire. The civilians were bundled from head to toe, shivering against the cold. Blake hardly felt the artic winds splashing her face. Even in the worst blizzard, she could have trudged on for hours this way. It would take a full night before frostbite nipped at the thin barrier between her body and the elements. However, aura required training to remain useful. A wealth of aura wouldn't do any good if it became weak from disuse.

As she walked down the busy street to the waiting limo, she took notice of her friend. Weiss leaned heavily on the white car with blue tinted windows. Nowadays the white haired woman kept a heavy coat on hand. A pair of leather gloves covering her dainty fingers. There once was a time when Weiss needed nothing more than sensible clothing to withstand the gusting wind. A red scarf and thick leggings offering all of the protection Weiss needed against snowy climates. Her aura had weakened considerably in her retirement, and while the cold itself wasn't yet a threat, she found the sting of the wind to be uncomfortable.

Blake knew her aura would be quick to turn weak if given the chance. There was very little use for it within the confines of the kingdom. It only served her well because she used it so often in the heat of battle, training it to the limit. If she were to retire, she would soon be like Weiss, bundled for warmth against the chill.

"I can't believe your office is so close by." She said as she stopped and placed her hand on the limo, admiring the expensive vehicle.

"I own several buildings in the vicinity. I chose to end my day at a nearby location." Weiss said clicking her scroll shut. "Furthermore, I believe we had something to discuss."

"Right." Blake said, feeling her fingers curl themselves into fists. Her thumb brushing against her fingers. "I'm still just thinking about it. Retiring from missions is a big decision."

"Indeed, and you should take your time." A gentle nod, from the shorter woman was all the reassurance Blake needed. Weiss opened the door, gesturing for Blake to go first. The Faunus climbed into the limo, taking in the cream and black leather interior. Weiss climbed in on the other side, closing the door behind her as she settled in, gesturing for the driver to begin heading for her home.

"I thought you hated using the limo."

"I do, that hasn't changed. It just proves to be the most useful mode of transportation between offices." Weiss replied as she opened the beverage compartment. "I've learned to pick and choose my battles more carefully. My father may be right about the impression the Schnee family sends, if little else."

"Never thought I'd hear you say that." Blake said jokingly.

"I may not agree with his ideology, but, his methods were effective." She poured two glasses of sparkling water into crystal glasses. "You'll have to forgive me, I don't keep wine within the confines of vehicles. This will have to do until we reach the house."

"That's fine. I'm still surprised you wanted to get together so late anyway." Blake told her, happily accepting one of the glasses from her fiend as she glanced out of the window. As they drove into a decorated part of the city, citizens clogged the streets, enjoying the nightlife that Atlas had to offer. She wouldn't have been surprised if Yang was in that mass someplace, guzzling down whiskey alongside Coco Adel, the only person that could likely keep pace with an inebriated Yang Xiao Long. "You never liked to be out at night before."

"I've grown used to it. I've had to, seeing as it gets dark in Atlas early." Weiss merely sipped on her water, glancing down at the slender wristwatch sliding along her skin. "It's almost ten. Ada goes to bed at eight, so she should be asleep by now. Klein gets off the clock at nine, meaning that he won't be in service to me at the moment. I had two choices. Either spend a few hours in good company, or proceed to get lost in a deluge of paperwork."

"Well, I'm glad I rank higher on your priorities than expense reports." Blake teased with a flick of her ear.

Weiss rolled her eyes, but she knew that Blake wasn't wrong. In a way she was making up for lost time. Filling in the gaps that were inevitable due to Blake's constant need to run missions. Blake was always on the move, restless, and never in a good way. "I see many people in passing, but, you are one of the few that I only see if I happen to plan it. I don't know if you're overly respectful, or just trying to hide."

"Can't it be both?"

"Is it?"

Blake took a breath. The offhanded remark biting into her with little chance to escape. Weiss had asked a rather incriminating question, and there was no simple answer. "Do you want me to act like Yang and just show up unannounced?"

"Now that would be impossible. You couldn't be as obtrusive as Yang even if you tried." Weiss laughed softly from behind the fresh sip of water that followed it. "Still, it does concern me that you're not obtrusive at all…"

"I'm just trying to stay out of the way and figure things out."

"You have your reasons, Blake, and I won't pry."

"You want to, though."

"Someone has to." Weiss reasoned idly. "If I don't, Yang certainly will. Everything will come out of the woodwork soon enough."

"It always does." Blake grumbled knowingly.

"Although, if I had to make an educated guess, I'd think you'd prefer airing your thoughts out to me, rather than to Yang." Weiss said, bringing the water to her lips once more. Her eyes didn't stray from their mark, fixated on the Faunus across from her.

"She worries…" Blake chipped out, losing the contest of wits. Amber eyes once again trailed to the window, her gaze following the pedestrians that the limo passed by. "And, the strange thing is, there's nothing to be worried about." Fewer and fewer people walked the streets as they approached the wealthier side of the city. Those that did walk the paths looked particularly well-off. "For once, every little piece just seems to be clicking together for everyone."

"And yet, bygone days seem more appealing by the second." Weiss said, knowing the feeling.

"We're too young to be reminiscing." Blake muttered, tipping back the last of her sparking water. She set the glass back down into in protected slot with a gentle click, the sound punctuating the thought.

"I must have missed that memo." Weiss replied dryly with an upraised eyebrow.

"Don't give me that look."

"Then perhaps you shouldn't do things to earn it." Weiss snapped back before sighing. "Yang wouldn't worry as much as you might think. She has a habit of bringing up the old days when we drink. She speaks of them fondly."

"She talks about a lot of things that way."

"True." Weiss said. "It's different about hunting. She holds the subject very close to her. I know that in some capacity, she regrets putting down her weapon. She betrayed so many promises that she made to herself. It doesn't help that she's still getting used to living life inside the kingdoms, either. Take it from me, though, Yang will be fine. She will adjust, because deep down, that's what she wants to do. There are some people that cannot live this sort of life. They're incapable."

"Like Nolan." Blake murmured.

"Like Ruby, too." Weiss said with a nod.

"Weiss-"

"Blake, you must understand, I'm saying this as Ruby's old partner." Weiss interrupted. "I _know_ her."

"I'm not following..."

"I know what goes through her head at night. The things she would murmur to herself. The forced smiles and half-laughs...that brave face...all of it." Weiss said. "I was there for all of those stormy training missions. Every. Single. One. I watched her cry herself to sleep. I've seen her spitting blood only to stand up and keep fighting." Weiss could only trail off. So many other things she wanted to say passing away on her lips. "She will not relinquish Summer's ghost for anything. A Ruby Rose that ceases to be a huntress... That's a Ruby Rose that would cease to be at all. She would have to be dead, do you understand? Dead, killed in the line of action. That's the only way she would ever truly quit."

"Things change." Blake said, but that didn't feel quite right. "Or, maybe it's better to say that we've changed."

"By degrees, we haven't changed who we are at our core, none of us." Weiss pointed out. "She would never let go of being a huntress, never in a million years."

"I used to think that too." Blake said softly." Then again, I never thought Yang would put down her gauntlets, either."

"Why quit now, Blake?" Weiss asked then. "It could have been anytime, so, why now? Why not before?"

"I thought I'd be in a different place by now." Blake admitted. "I never had a plan for what my life would be like after Beacon, but, I was sure that I'd come up with something. I guess I was hoping it would just fall into my lap. That hasn't happened. I don't have anything to show for all this time. Nothing besides a few numbers in a bank account. You know how limited that sort of comfort can be."

"Indeed…" Weiss knew.

Life had bestowed many harsh lessons, but that one had struck deep. Lingering long after it had overstayed its welcome.

* * *

The driver dropped them off at the household before returning to the Schnee family manor for the night. Weiss didn't have a habit of keeping an entire household staff the way her father did. Only further proof that she scrutinized his methods carefully, only adopting ones that proved to be useful.

"One moment, please." Weiss said as soon as she stepped foot into her home and hug up her coat. "I make it a habit to check up on my daughter when I arrive home every night. I'll be right back."

"Yeah, sure thing. I'll just wait in the kitchen."

Blake wandered idly down the hall as Weiss made her way beyond the foyer and up the stairs. There was nothing lazy about the décor in a Schnee household. It might have been smaller than a mansion, but Weiss had spared no expense to have a home that rivaled the impossible tastes of her peers. She had been careful to accommodate her wealth into every fixture and piece of furniture. From floor to ceiling she had planned everything meticulously, and as the Faunus bypassed the formal dining room that was so rely used, Blake had to wonder why.

The breakfast nook was more casual, but even it had white gold surrounding the sides of a dust protected crystal table. The addition of the gold caught the light that caressed the surface. Even when she heard Weiss enter the room, amber eyes could only fixate on that expensive thin line glittering brightly. I was the sort of affluence that was only afforded to those with the money to pay for it.

"Red or white?"

"Hmm?" Blake asked, her gaze perking up from its place.

"Wine, Blake." Weiss said gesturing to the bottles in the cooler. "What sort would you like? I keep a collection."

"It doesn't matter to me, so long as it's not too dry."

"Vidal Ice wine it is then." Weiss said with a smile, picking out a sweet blend that would better suit the sensitive tastes of a cat Faunus. She removed the cork without much thought, pouring two modest glasses before arranging them on a hand carved tray. She added the bottle and a bar of dark chocolate as an afterthought. "Come, we should sit outside."

Blake shrugged, following Weiss out to the back yard. The sitting area was paved with stone, the outdoor fireplace burning brightly with the press of a switch, dust giving it the power to warm the vicinity in spite of the cold. The two sat side by side, watching it flicker, the shadows dancing along the paved stone. The wine sat in front of them on a small table. The balm of a tongue loosening beverage taunting both of the usually reserved women. They'd always played things close to the chest, and that was what made them such good friends.

Blake looked up, a dim light coming from a corner window on the second floor. Weiss followed her friend's gaze before allowing a little smirk. Klein had always been a night owl, busying himself with a pen to paper. She had no idea what he would spend his time writing about. She doubted he would tell her, even if she were to ask. There was only one suspicion she had worth finding the answer for, and even that seemed too personal a question.

The answer itself a tender one.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**  
**Weiss: The Atlesian Way, Part 2**

Weiss absolutely hated her mother.

The woman had only gifted her children two useful lessons over the years. They had been passed down not from spoken word, but rather, from years of half-hearted neglect. They had to be learned by observation. Proof of that was etched into every disdainful memory Weiss Schnee had of her childhood. The first lesson was to never drink alone. The second was to never disparage your spouse in front of your child.

It was those two grave mistakes, often made in concert with one another. Those two selfish whims that came first, often at the expense of everything else. It was those two choices that ultimately ruined whatever harmony would befall the Schnee manor.

Her mother_ chose_ to drink, that was a fact.

She drank in celebration and disappointment alike, downing alcohol like water. She drank to cope, to self-medicate, and to soothe heartache. She drank in the mornings, vodka in her juice. She drank in the afternoon, brandy at tea time. She drank in the evening, wine at every socially hospitable gathering. She drank late at night, champagne flute well in hand at the midnight hour. She downed the liquid as though it had healing properties, ignoring the poison she fostered because of it.

Every upsetting memory Weiss had in her mind was the same. Her mother drank, and her father lashed out. The two of them acting out their own symbiotic hell, enabling the worst in each other.

Many thought the Schnee matriarch simply partook life's greatest pleasures. It was hardly an uncommon assumption. Many of the social elite did the same, particularly at social events. Spirits flowed freely, partaking was encouraged. It was after the parties that had always been concerning. They never asked about the splashes the servants would pour into her tea, juice, and cola. They'd never guess that she would smuggle a small two ounce flask with her at all times. They'd never catch on about the small pockets sewn into her dresses strictly to conceal it.

No one bothered to fathom the hours she spent in the gardens with a bottle at her side. The way she chipped at each long day, lamenting her very existence. Most importantly, they never would have concluded that her drinking could be the direct result of verbal abuse.

The problem was twofold, of course. She could hardly be blamed for her husband's loose tongue and foul temper. She couldn't be blamed for feeling neglected, couldn't argue against the decades of propriety beaten into her by family that preceded her. Women of her era were to be seen, not heard, and those lessons had been instilled into her almost perfectly.

Almost…

Yet, when she drank, she spoke up. When she spoke up, her husband lashed out. When his ire burned brightest, it turned to vengeance. The likes of which rained down upon his children, victims who could not escape. The cycle was ongoing, made worse by circumstance outside of the family's control. White Fang attacks and Faunus rallies only poured gasoline on an already burning flame. Weiss had never seen her father raise a hand to her mother, but she knew exactly what it felt like to endure his strikes.

Weiss couldn't count the times she had been slapped by him. The sting was vivid in the echoes of her memory. So were his words. She had been told to be quiet and ordered to obey. She knew his cruelty, understood his intentions as a means to inspire fear. Another method to maintain control. At his worst he was unforgivably manipulative, selfish, and unkind.

Yet, for all of his brutality, he had raised his children…for better and worse.

He was a father, ever present, always looming. Tyrannical, perhaps. Yet, a father all the same. As a little girl she had looked to him for guidance, which he willingly provided. He loved her intellectual nature and talented voice. He'd doted on her with his wealth, buying her gifts and tutors at her whim. When it came to items, she wanted for nothing. She merely asked, and simply received.

He was an awful man, there was no question in that. He did things she could never condone, and there was no justifying his temper. For all of his failing, of which he had a great many, Weiss could not deny his few successes either. They were rare, but, they were there. Memorable, influential, paving her way to the life she had today.

At the end of the day, her mother had done nothing to raise her, and even less to help her.

She had been too drunk to care...

* * *

"So, what, she just insulted him from across the table?" Blake asked as she listened to her friend spin a slow tale about the Schnee household.

"My mother was good at that. Looking down her nose at him, as if he were the only one to blame." Weiss nodded leisurely. "She was irate that he'd come to dinner so late in the first place, and his treatment of Klein was the last straw. She stood up from the table and stormed off in one direction. Father was flabbergasted that a woman would ever speak to him that way. He stormed off in the other direction towards his study."

"What happened to you guys?"

"My siblings and I?"

"Yeah."

"They left the three of us at the table alone. Winter just cut into her meal as though nothing happened." Weiss told Blake, not bothering to iterate the fact that it turned into a common occurrence as the years went by. "Whitley started crying. He was so little back then, he'd never seen our parents fight. I knew they argued, but I'd never heard anything quite like that. Honestly, I never realized how mean they could be to each other until that moment." Weiss said, regaling Blake on that rather dour moment in family history. "Klein came back to our side with three mugs of hot chocolate and a sad smile on his face."

"That's rough…"

"It's the little things like that. It might seem unimportant to most, but that's why I need Klein. I know he won't let history repeat." Weiss went on to say. "He would never let me fall so low. Even if I did, he'd protect Ada from anyone, even me. I trust that he would even fight me, if he had to."

Blake watched Weiss down the last bit of wine in her glass. The bottle itself easily drained between the two of them. "I think you're being way too hard on yourself. You're a good mom, Weiss."

"I wish." Weiss said with a scoff. "You know, I really envy you sometimes."

"What's there to envy about me?" Blake asked. "I'm just an average person. I go about my day the same way as everyone else."

"You may not have been born with a silver spoon, but, no one could buy the wealth you received." Weiss told her. "You had splendid role models to emulate. You could have chosen to walk in either of their footsteps and be proud of it. That's not something easy to obtain, you were blessed to receive it."

"I get why you say that about my dad, but my mom's basically just a housewife…"

"A high profile housewife, which is not as easy as it sounds." Weiss retorted with a wag of her finger. "Don't insult her. She's holding her side of things together more than you know. They're a team, and they both know it. Working together to achieve the best result."

"She's never made it seem particularly difficult." Blake said with a shrug. "I know my dad's a little headstrong, but she's happy. They both are."

"Your father prioritizes an entire population, but, your mom prioritizes him. What would become of Menagerie if she weren't there to look after him?" Weiss hated to admit it, but she found being a housewife a struggle she just couldn't win. It didn't suit her, it never would. "The household she keeps is just as important as being a chieftain. Your father can only lead his people so well _because_ he can trust her with his burdens. She helps to carry them, and they must be immense. You should be proud of that."

"I am." Blake said. "In my own way."

Weiss let out a small puff of air. "Meanwhile, I could only be truly proud of Klein."

"What's so bad about admiring someone who treated you well?"

"In my position?" The white haired woman laughed. The question was completely ridiculous. "No one with half a brain would even think of saying that they admire their butler." She said before her smile waned, setting down the glass somberly. "But, I do admire him. Truly, I wish I could say that with more pride than I normally do."

Blake pulled her lip between her teeth, trying to find some way to return that brilliant smile that had once been there. Bitter humor aside, Weiss had delicate features, perfect for the image of contentment. Her chilly disposition concealed it too often, and that was just a shame. "Yeah, but he's not the only one, is he? Winter seems to have done well for herself. You can be proud of her, can't you?"

"I've always looked up to her. You know that. She's truly amazing, Blake." Weiss readily agreed, but the smile did not return. "Let me ask you this; who do you think influenced her? Do you honestly believe that my parents were the ones to raise such a well-rounded person?"

Blake a flicked an ear with a ghost of a frown. Winter was probably lucky she hadn't grown into a racist monster with a drinking problem. "Point taken."

"Don't get me wrong." Weiss continued then. "Winter has a great deal to be proud of. Those accomplishments aren't because she's a Schnee. They're in spite of it. She had no interest in the company, and she flat out hates our father. She only kept the ties to the family because she couldn't leave us behind. If Whitley and I hadn't been around she would have left. She probably would have upturned our entire family name along with it."

The magnitude of that statement floored Blake. She knew she shouldn't have been surprised, but deep down, it was a cruel truth. The Schnee family were deeply rooted in Faunus culture as a symbol of oppression. The snowflake might as well have been a shackle to tether her kind. For countless Faunus, it had been. It was impossible to think of such an imposing family suddenly disappearing in the blink of an eye. Decades of malignancy would have died out with them.

Would that have truly been for the better?

Blake couldn't even imagine what the Faunus rights movement would be like if the Schnee family failed to exist. She didn't know what her own future would have been like if she had never made friends with the enemy. "Not going to lie, that's actually kind of terrifying. I'm not drunk enough to even consider it. I don't think I could _ever_ be that drunk."

"Well you should consider it, Blake. Drunk or not, because it could have happened very easily. That's not the only dirty little lie my family buried." She said with a smirk. "It's not all doom and gloom though. If you want a love story for the ages, I've got one for you. There was once a time, long ago, that I could have just as easily been born with the family name Sieben."

Blake tried to make the metal leap. "Isn't that Klein's…" She trailed off, shaking her head. It was a bridge too far.

"It is." Weiss said honestly.

"Well, you are rather short. I could see it, maybe." The Faunus laughed, the concept perplexing her. "So, your mom and your butler..."

"He wasn't a butler back then." Weiss said, letting that all too important detail sink in. "He was just a handsome young man, a commoner. It was young love, but, he had nothing to his name. No one in the family was about to let _that_ happen. They married her off in record time. Mother kept him close, hiring him on. Father enjoyed having a competent servant running the details in the household. We don't speak of it, Klein certainly doesn't…"

"How did you find out then?" Blake asked, leaning a little closer. "Did your mom tell you?"

"She has a distinct problem with holding tequila, which I was fatefully uninformed about." Weiss grumbled. "I learned far too many things that day. I wish I could burn some of them from my memory."

"Gland to know I'm not the only one with a mom who likes to over-share things." Blake said with a little smirk pulling on her lips. She didn't want to mention that Weiss also became quite chatty after a few glasses of wine. Like mother, like daughter. Even that slight comparison would have been unwelcome, so Blake kept it to herself. "Mine does it to be helpful, but I've never actually asked for the help."

"Mine did it to further insult my father. I was an adult by the time she told me, thank god. I think I would have been scarred for life if I had been told as a teenager." It was then that Weiss scowled, looking down at the empty glass again and shook her head. "Honestly, it blew me away at first."

"I'll bet."

"Now, I think it's kind of sweet. They're obviously very fond of each other…"

"Klein certainly seems nice enough." Blake said. "He's never treated me unfairly."

"I should think not. He's always been very much the gentlemen. Even if he were a racist –which he most certainly isn't- but if he were, he would never disrespect someone I hold in high regard." Weiss licked her lips then, a thought coming to her mind. It wasn't a new one, but, it was rather inconvenient. "He's always very careful of my feelings. Stern, but gentle. In retrospect, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if any of us were bastard born."

"Now there's a thought for you. I can just see it now." Blake laughed, waving her hand across the air. "Schnee CEO illegitimate owner, company set to change hands, news at eleven."

"Careful, the company would be given to Whitley, and he's not fond of Faunus. It would set the company back decades." Weiss teased darkly before she pressed a finger to her lips. She began tapping it idly while she thought. When that became too much effort, she took the last piece of chocolate from the tray and popped it into her mouth. "Schnee genetics run strong, the same as our semblance. Father wouldn't have ever known the truth unless a test was done."

"That's one way to look at it, I guess." Blake said offhandedly. "There's just one problem. If your eyes changed color based on your mood like Klein's does, it would be a dead giveaway."

"That's assuming his genes run strong, which I doubt. Commoners on his day weren't careful to preserve their bloodlines. So long as they had a son to carry on the family name, they were more than happy with that. His semblance probably isn't hereditary, and it's not used for combat." Weiss said before laughing at her own foolishness. "What am I saying? It doesn't matter really, that's just wishful thinking... It seems I've been doing a lot of it nowadays."

"Yeah, well, you're not the only one." Blake murmured softly.

It had to be the wine, or at the very least nostalgia…

That was the only explanation Weiss had for the lilt in Blake's voice. The doleful tone caressing the air in just the right way. It wasn't the first time she'd heard it. Just like it wasn't the first time she looked into those amber eyes, seeing a wealth of guilty admissions Blake would never speak of. The Faunus had no qualms with admiring a woman's body. There was no sense of shame in drenching herself in desire, no matter the gender of her bedfellow.

Such a thought had been entirely alien to Weiss at the time, but Blake had long since admitted her attraction to the fairer gender.

They had been students back then, hot-blooded, easily distracted by petty arguments. None in the least happened to be about the sexual activities between Yang and Blake. Weiss had been angry then, walking in on the act as she had. Seeing something she never ought to have seen. She had been confused, and more than a little mortified to know that her teammates were enjoying each other in the shared dorm room. The fact that Yang had proceeded to tease Weiss about the idea of sex certainly didn't help matters.

The discomfort Weiss had about the topic made the entire team edgy for a solid week before things settled down. Soon the sexual escapades of her teammates became a non-issue entirely. Yang was decidedly bisexual, and Blake had grown to prefer women over men. It was that simple, and easy to forget about entirely.

At least, it _used_ to be.

There was a time she didn't have a clue of desire. Now, Weiss would have been a halfwit not to understand those wordless sideways glances. Easily interpreting the concealed attraction for what it was. Something precious, and hidden underneath the guise of friendship. Weiss had no idea how long such a gaze had been protected there. Blake had never once acted on it, and it seemed she never would.

"It's getting late." Weiss said, it was the easiest excuse she could make.

"It was late when you called me."

"It's later now."

Blake nodded, her gaze slowly sliding away from the white haired woman and up towards the stars that happily scattered across the sky. It was nothing like the wilds. The view was lackluster compared to the vastness of nature. If only she were away from all of the lights in the kingdom, then she would see the stars the way she liked to see them.

"My point is that I'm in no condition to get behind the wheel, and I won't be for the rest of the night." Weiss went on to say. "I'd rather not trouble the family's driver any more than I already do. I could call for a taxi, or, you could just stay here."

"I don't want to be an imposition." Blake replied.

"Then here's a hint, don't make me call a taxi..."

* * *

Weiss groaned quietly as her head ached.

There was nothing worse than a hangover. Especially one that she had no way to excuse or explain away to Klein. Frankly, she was his employer. She didn't owe him anything, and yet she felt as if she might. If only she could go back to sleep and pointedly forget her lapse in judgement. Then perhaps the universe would correct itself.

A soft rumble of purring reached her ears. She hadn't heard that sound in years. It happened so rarely that Weiss usually doubted she heard it at all. She opened her eyes, a sea of black hair cascading down Blake's shoulder. Her ears drooped lazily in her slumber. The Faunus was warm, sleeping peacefully, ignorant of the world around her. The television droned on with repetitive dialogue, replayed the same sitcom they'd fallen asleep watching.

Weiss glared at the coffee table. The sight explained her hangover. A second wine bottle stood half consumed, resting in front of them. The bowl of strawberries Weiss faintly recalled gathering from the kitchen lay empty. The night wasn't quite a blur, but, she desperately searched for clarity as she studied Blake's sleeping face.

Why were they even sitting so close to begin with? What even compelled her to allow that action? They were good friends, yet, that friendship had a limit. A line drawn in the sand out of propriety alone. Somehow, it had been shattered, and strangely enough, Weiss found herself unable to be perturbed by the obvious lack of space between them. It had to be just another poor lapse in judgement, nothing more. She could, and would, blame the wine.

She removed herself from the sofa, pulling the fluffy blanket from its storage space within the nearby footrest. Somehow, she'd completely forgotten to use it last night, although that was likely for the best. They probably would have shared it, and that came with its own uncomfortable implications. Weiss shuttered just thinking about it. Worse yet, she could not decide how that made her feel.

Her trepidation landed deftly in the middle, thinking the notion completely ridiculous.

Try though she might, she couldn't deny her idle curiosity. Her mind wondering what might have transpired between them. Would they have shared the blanket? Would Blake have taken that as an invitation to act on her carefully hidden feelings? Weiss was compelled to wonder. She would never know for sure.

She forced herself to pull away. It was nearly five in the morning. A few hours of rest was all that she would be granted as she walked down the hall to her bedroom. She needed a shower and a fresh change of clothes.

In the end, both women played off the unusual morning. Stranger things had happened to them in the past. Falling asleep on the sofa was hardly a reason to have a moral crisis. They both fumbled their way through breakfast with a butler who seemed far too amused for his own good. Thankfully, he never said a word about what he might have seen. Dutifully, he kept his thoughts to himself.

Weiss only wished she could say the same about her day spent with Coco Adel.

"So, let me get this straight. You popped open not one, but _two_ bottles of wine, and neither one of you did anything?" Coco asked, sympathizing with the way Weiss rubbed at her temple. "And here I thought you'd finally had a night out on the town and gotten laid."

"I don't entertain sexual advances from strangers. I'd like to think I have far better self-control than that." Weiss bit our dryly. "We had a long talk, watched television, and fell asleep." She leaned back in the comfortable leather chair in the conference room that was hers alone. "It was a wonderful evening, and we left it at that."

"Idiot..."

"Watch who you're calling an idiot."

"From the looks of it, you're both idiots. Someone needs a reality check." Coco scoffed, standing and going directly for the coffee machine at the back of the room. She took her time filling a clear heat-proof glass with the dark substance. She pulled out a pain pill from a small case in her pocket. Setting both items in front of Weiss, she gave her friend a knowing look. "If it hurts so much, use your aura. It just takes a little while to burn out a hangover. That's drunken stupor one-o-one."

"Perhaps, but I can't allow it to be that easy." Weiss sighed, conceding the point. She declined both items, refusing the comfort as she sipped on her bottled water instead. Frankly, her aura could have easily neutralized the headache that had formed behind her eyes from drinking. She wouldn't dare think to use it, though. No, she would endure every moment of torture her body put on her as a reminder. She wouldn't be like her mother. She wouldn't make excuses. "I made the made decision to drink like a fish, I'll own up to the consequences."

"You know, a little honesty goes a long way." Coco said as she sat back down. Idly twirling a pen between her thumb and first finger, she regarded her friend knowingly. "Instead of trying to bury everything in wine, you should have just told her she was giving you bedroom eyes."

"We are _not_ talking about this."

"Aw, but why not?" Coco asked, more than happy to watch Weiss roll her eyes in dismay. "We have nothing better to do right now. You're supposed to be entertaining me. Besides, it's far more interesting to hear about my friends once and a while."

"Where is my bloody secretary with that amended contract?" The owner of the dust company muttered, eying the clock as Coco made a point of eying her.

"Right, that's it Weiss. The wine didn't work, so bury the whole thing underneath your workload." Coco said then. "That's real healthy."

"Coco, please, we set up this meeting to discuss business."

"What else is there to discuss?" The ex-huntress looked at Weiss from over the rim of her shades, her sharp gaze piercing through any excuse Weiss might make. The perfect image of cutthroat business icon with a flair for high end fashion. "Now listen, I'm going to sign my name on that contract, and you're going to give me a deal on dust for my clothing. You're not going to screw me over, and I'm not going to make your life a living hell during fashion week. That's all the business we've ever needed to discuss before, and it's all we need to discuss now, so cut the crap."

"Why the sudden interest in my love life?"

"You don't have one." Coco said, pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. "That's the interest."

"I don't have a special someone, and that's so incredibly interesting?"

"More than you realize." Coco told her as she placed down her pen and looked up at the ticking clock. The iconic snowflake sitting behind the numbers and glass. "Weiss Schnee falling for Blake Belladonna, how scandalous. The tabloids will love this. A lesbian romance, with a Faunus no less. So many people are going to have a conniption, I just hope it's on live television. It'll be good for a laugh."

"Bite your tongue." Weiss hissed unhappily. "I've done nothing to warrant that type of media coverage."

"Not yet, but your day will come." Coco said, watching as Weiss sighed. "Still in denial, huh? Fine, let's look at the facts then. You have and at least one contractual obligation in your imminent future, but you're so distracted by Blake that you come in here with a hangover. You know better than that, especially because you knew I was going to give you hell for it."

"I am not distracted by Blake." Weiss shot back. "And if you know my head's killing me, perhaps you shouldn't try to make it worse."

"What can I say, I've got no qualms about being a total bitch. We all have that one friend that keeps us honest. For you, that's me. I've graciously up taken the task. You can than me later." It was then that Coco gentled, her shoulders slouching forward as she reached for the forgotten coffee cup. She put it back in front of Weiss. "I'm not the one that you used as a makeshift pillow last night, but I am the one that's going to pour this coffee down your throat by force if you don't drink it."

"Must you be so insufferable?"

"You love me this way." Coco said without missing a beat. "Oh, that reminds me, someone should call Ren. The betting pool need to be resurrected, I've got good money riding on you, you know."

"Betting pool?" Weiss asked before it finally clicked. She leaned forward in her chair, glaring at her friend. "Coco Adel, you didn't…"

"I did." She nodded flippantly. "We all did."

If there was anything that could make her head hurt worse, it was that awful tidbit of information. "Why on god's green Remnant would you even think _that_ was a good idea?"

"Team CFVY had two graduation parties. One at the school, which is the one that you went to. Then we had another one off campus. Anyway a few of us got really trashed. Blake was drunk enough to admit she had a thing for you. Next thing we know, Ren's making a betting pool while Nora and Yang try to convince Blake to hit on you." Coco grinned then. "It was a hell of a party, you should have been there."

"My gut tells me to be thankful that I wasn't." Weiss replied squeamishly. "Something tells me Nora would have locked us into a closet."

"It was going to be that love hotel down by the docks, actually."

"Excuse me?"

"Heard it here first."

"Good god." Weiss said, leaning heavily on the conference table. She didn't want to think about it. She forced her mind back into thinking about work. It was the safe topic. The one that always made sense, even when the rest of the world didn't.

There was only one problem. She was still trapped in the conference room with Coco until the contract arrived.

* * *

Stacks of paperwork melded together. E-mails blurred into a homogenous list of names. Expense reports seemed to have wandering decimals. Coffee arrived too hot, and lunch was bland. Nothing could go right today no matter how hard she tried to force good fortune into her favor. She was in a bad mood, plain and simple.

She couldn't stop thinking of Blake, couldn't put away the thoughts consuming her slowly from the inside out. If Coco was to be believed, than Blake had harbored feelings for too long. She hadn't harshly criticized Weiss when she left the team. Offering concern instead of ridicule. The Faunus had been a bride's maid at her wedding. She had been nothing short of supportive during the long nine months of pregnancy, and the eventual collapse of a failing marriage. During the publicized divorce, Blake hadn't pointed fingers or taken sides.

Among a world that loudly voiced its opinions, Blake had always been particularly quiet.

Speaking out only when there was an important reason to do so. It's what made her spoken word so powerful, and why Weiss valued that impartial opinion so greatly. Blake had always been that stoic balance between dark justice and redemptive hope. She had a guarded willingness to see the good in people, understanding from an early age that not everyone could be saved. That shared truth was a breath of fresh air among friends who avoided depressing little details as often as possible.

Blake lived alongside her demons. She was well acquainted with them. They were entirely part of her, just like the Faunus ears atop her head. Easy to hide, but so much more captivating on display.

Yet, those exact traits made Blake's silence possible for years. Hiding her ears, or her feelings, it didn't matter. It had to be uncomfortable, and it probably wasn't healthy. Blake still used her bow on occasion, still hid when it suited her. She was a coward that way, willing admitting it more than once. Her feelings were probably the selfsame.

Easier to hide than to face.

Truth be told, Weiss couldn't even figure out how she might respond. If Blake were to come onto her, she had no idea what she would do.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 Sun: Back To Basics**

Sun Wukong had been born in the hot sands of Vacuo among a large family. Several members lived under one roof. He had the pleasure of growing up surrounded by his aunts, uncles, and a handful of cousins. The rest of his family weren't very far away, the community remaining a close one. Most of them were Faunus like himself, but a few were humans that had married into the Wukong name.

He came from humble means, and truth be told, he preferred it that way.

He hadn't known any other way to live, learning early to love the haves, and to let go of the have-nots. When other little boys received expensive gifts, he never understood why. He couldn't comprehend the wealth of the middle and upper-classes of Vacuo. He couldn't fathom spending hundreds of lien on a toy. Buying buckets of sweets from the store seemed like a fantasy. It was beyond him completely, and he always thought it would be. It never occurred to him that there could be a better way to live.

His childhood consisted of making ruckus and finding sand in his pockets. The sort of innocent trouble a child ought to get into.

Sun wished for a life within his means, and as a child those options were few and far between. He once thought himself fortunate if he could talk his mother into buying cholate milk at the store. That simple luxury was sometimes too expensive for the sprawling family. The Faunus plight was partly to blame. It was hard to find honest work within the safety of the kingdoms. Few jobs paid Faunus what might be considered a living wage. Those that did were competitive, coming in the form of hard labor or higher education.

His father hadn't stepped foot in a classroom in the entirety of his life, so hard labor it was. He was treated no better than a pack mule, working hard for the sake of it. His father, always a man of few words, didn't complain.

His father, older brothers, and uncles left early every morning for work. They spent long, hot, hours building and repairing the fortifications around Vacuo. Sometimes they wouldn't come home until nightfall. A few of his aunts worked nearby at the flower shop, but most of the married women stayed home to tend to their families. Thanks to that, Sun and the rest of his family had never gone hungry. There was always nutritious food on the table, clean water, and sturdy walls to protect them from the deadly sandstorms that could kick up outside.

He might have grown up in a poor family, but he never thought himself impoverished.

Sun received too much to ever feel down on his luck. His generation was the first in his family to attend public school. The first to receive higher education. He remembered the awe in his eyes when his oldest cousin became a huntsmen. He recalled the large hand patting him on the head before he left to go on his many adventures. Writing letters and sending money home often. It was then that Sun Wukong knew what he wanted to do with his life.

He'd found a reasonable goal within his reach, and he grasped for it without hesitation.

* * *

"The chicken wasn't too salty, was it?"

"No." the Faunus man said, filling his glass with water a third time that evening. "Why?"

"I just wasn't sure if you were being nice or not." Ruby told him. "It wouldn't be the first time I ruined a recipe."

"Nah, it's not that. Writing a letter is thirty work, that's all."

As he sat back down at the kitchen table with a full belly, he still was a man who lived by his means. Reasonable goals were always within his view.

Four colored lien cards sat in a short stack. They rested on the kitchen table, waiting to be sent away to Vacuo. Pencil scratches came to a halt as Sun finished writing the short letter to his mother. A few photos of his little family completed his care package. He sent one every week. Some people might have laughed about the old way of doing it. It wasn't the style most people relied on. He found something sentimental about the ink staining his hand. There was nothing quite like a handwritten letter.

He called a few times a week, of course, but the letters were tangible.

He could feel the paper between his fingers. See the messy words, the handwriting all his own. It was the time put into the action, consideration placed into every turn of phrase. That alone made them profound. Faunus valued those little details greatly, sometimes more than humans. He never knew why humans were so quick to forsake the old methods. It might have been the lack of convenience, the importance of time. Letters across kingdoms were not quick or reliable. It wouldn't make sense for important information to be sent by currier, when a simple call would do.

Then again, perhaps it was something more instinctual.

Humans lacked a deeper sense of smell. They'd never have a chance to catch even a moment of familial scent upon the page. Perfume might last the length of the delivery, but, never the unique smell of one human or another. Those things would have to be implied. It was easy to think that not all implications were created equal. The sense of smell was so dulled for a human that they'd only pick up the scent of the most extreme emotions. The sort that forced sweat to drip from their pores, and pheromones along with it.

Sun would never be sure what the answer really was. Ruby had even found herself confused when he asked such questions. Abstract for the sake of it. Still, he could not forsake the ritual of it all. Pen to paper, thoughts that might transcend onto the next generation. Even if it didn't, that was alright too.

A fond letter from a relative always deserved a reply, the words reaching across the distance to find those who mattered most.

"Are you sure that's going to be enough lien?" Ruby asked as she took Sun's dinner plate from the table, depositing it into the sink already filled with soapy water.

"If I try to send more, dad would probably just get annoyed. He's got his pride too, ya know." Sun laughed as he folded the letter. He could just imagine the fur on his father's tail ruffling up indignantly. He'd never tolerate the thought of being so reliant on his youngest son. It continued to amuse Sun as he stuffed the money and pictures inside, sealing the already addressed envelope. "I think this'll be enough."

"You can always add a little extra if you're not sure." Ruby told him, as she began to wash and rinse the dishes one by one. "We have the savings."

He'd given it more than a passing thought. It was one of his many struggles. Wondering how best to balance looking after his folks without stifling them. Money was the largest point of pride for a man who'd lived to provide for his wife and children. Faunus men particularly had very little to be prideful for. The world was cruel for those that couldn't prove themselves worthy, and even in Vale, Sun felt the weight upon his shoulders. He wanted to measure up to that lofty standard.

Much of it was self-imposed.

Ruby was perfectly capable of her own independence. Sun knew that fact well. It was less a comfort than he liked to admit, knowing that she didn't need him to be the solitary provider. Her own work as a huntress could easily provide as well. A simple glance on the wall reminded him that it wasn't a slight to his capabilities. Ruby didn't view the world with the same lens. Masculinity in her eyes didn't boil down to money and posturing. That wasn't the sort of man she knew.

For her, it came down to fatherhood. Keeping a home together when the world itself wanted to fall apart... and her personal world had fallen to pieces more than once as a little girl. Yang's too.

He cleared his throat looking away from the photo on the wall. Summer looked too much like Ruby, and the woman's fate was an unpleasant consideration. He refused to think that history might repeat itself. His mind went back to his own parents. Deep down, he wanted to send more lien, but he knew that it would be an insult.

"I think I'll just leave the letters as they are." Sun finally said to Ruby, watching her tending to the dishes in the sink. "My brothers send money too, and dad has his pension. I think it should be fine." Sun told her, placing the letter atop the stack of bills that were meant to go out for the mail carrier. "I'd feel better about sending more money if we could get them to move out of that crap-shack of a house."

"It's not so bad." She laughed gently. Her brilliant mind capable of crafting weapons was also able to deconstructed complex blueprints. She was able to piece together every pipe, electrical line, and vent that built the bones of the home. She had spent days putting ideas to paper, mapping out each room and hallway until her curiosity had been satisfied. "They live in a very reputable area, your dad says so himself."

Sun puffed his chest in amusement, a dark smirk lifting the edge of his lips. "Oh yeah? Why not tell that to the activists making scenes in the same city block. The White Fang never shut up."

"That's no reason to leave." She shot back, returning to the dishes. "It's quaint."

"It's old."

"Charming."

"It's falling apart."

"Then you get off your butt, and you do the best you can to fix it." The retort hit the air with a firmness that Ruby so rarely expressed outside of battle. It wasn't anger, but rather that same headstrong defiance that demanded to be heeded. "Your granddad built that house with his bare hands. Your dad grew up there, and so did you. You don't just get rid a generational home like that." She finished, her position on the matter firmly rooted in place. That's just the way Ruby was. Once she took a position on something, she rarely budged. "It would be a waste to get rid of something so special."

"Doesn't mean it's not a crap-shack." Sun said, earning him teasing slap on the shoulder with the towel in Ruby's hand.

"Stop calling it that." She told him while drying the final plate that was in her hand. "Just because it isn't very modern, that doesn't make it bad. I think it's a nice place to live."

"Yeah, but dad's getting on in his years." Sun said, speaking only truth. "There's a lot of stairs and let's be honest, the house needs a lot of repairs. I'd feel better if they sold it and moved to an apartment on a nicer side of Vacuo. There are plenty of other places a Faunus can live."

"I can see why they don't, though." She placed the plate away, noticing a small chip on one side. It had been that way for years. Yang damaged it when they were little, standing on kitchen chairs to help daddy with the dishes after dinner. He could have thrown it away, but he didn't. Taiyang had gotten out a nail file, dulling the edge until it was no longer sharp. The dinner plate withstanding the test of time. It was just one small example of many. "Don't worry so much, you'll grow grey."

"Hey now, there's nothing wrong with that." Sun replied. "At least then I'd look wise and distinguished."

"Not dressed like that you wouldn't." She said, eyeing his shirt. He never buttoned them up, but, this one was full of holes. Well used and abused by time. "Anyway, oh wise one, your sister lives there too. If she thought it was a problem, she'd say something. I mean, if they were that bad, she probably would have made them move out by now."

"Yeah, right. She's just as attached to that place as they are." He grunted, even while he glanced down at his shirt. He didn't see the problem with it. "She'd never give it up. She'd never ask my parents too, either."

"If you know that, don't start a fight you aren't going to win." Ruby chided logically. "You might be a huntsman, but you won't stand a chance. If you try arguing with your sister about it now, there's only one way it'll end up." It was then her voice lowered a little, mostly in self-reflection. "Never thought I'd meet anyone more hotheaded than Yang…"

"Tell me about it…" Sun said, reclining back on the chair, balancing it on the two hind legs. He reached back to the refrigerator with his tail, opening the door and fumbling around. His tail bypassed a few cans of beer before he found the carton of chocolate milk. The childhood luxury was now a household staple. The last of it would hardly be enough to full his glass. "And there goes the last of the milk. Guess I'm going to the store again tomorrow."

"Take the list with you." Ruby told him gesturing to the fridge. "And don't forget to stop by the hardware store to grab another gallon of paint. I'll need it to finish the shed."

"Right, mustn't forget the paint now, should I?" He grumbled unhappily as a yawn washed over him.

"See, it's not so easy to watch Keiko and get the chores done without an extra set of hands, now is it?" Ruby said, humor dripping into her voice.

"Tai will be home soon." He said, that single mantra was all that Sun could cling to during the long day. The only thing enticing him to stay awake right now was the chocolaty substance in front of him and Ruby's boundless energy. It spoke to her skills as a huntress that hard work didn't tire her. She'd been finishing up the yard all day. Stopping only when the baby needed a feeding. Meanwhile, he'd been in charge of watching over his daughter and keeping house. "That'll make things easier."

"My uncle's mission is finishing up too." Ruby said glancing at the calendar on the fridge. "He should be here by this evening, actually. I don't know how long he'll stay around this time though. He seems to vanish more often these days."

"Well, we should take advantage of the extra help. That'll make things easier to get some alone time. In fact, you should come out to the stream next time I go fishing." Sun replied, knowing well that a day of fishing would be in store with so many mouths to feed. He'd have to be up early if he wanted a chance of making a good catch. "Two fishing poles are better than one, and I bet they're both pretty tired of trudging around outside."

"Somehow, I doubt it's the fish you'd be trying to catch." Ruby said with a little smirk.

"As if I'd have to try…" He said, standing to his full height and pulling the clean cup out of her hands, setting it off to the side. His hands easily found a place to rest on her hips. His thumb toying with the soft expanse of skin just beneath the hem of her shirt. "Now that you mention it, it has been a while."

"Mm, so it has." Ruby agreed, letting her eyes slip closed as Sun leaned down to kiss her. As if on cue, the baby started to fuss. The little soul demanding love and protection from her parents. She was too small to do anything for herself yet. Ruby reluctantly broke the kiss, murmuring against his lips. "That was a longer nap than usual. She probably needs a change." She joined their lips once, this time in brief apology.

Sun pulled away from the kiss, sighing as he rested his forehead on Ruby's shoulder. His lips ghosting over her neck, he sighed away the stress of the day. "Finish up in here, I'll go get her." He said, slipping away from the soft scent of the woman he loved.

As Keiko began to cry in earnest he resigned himself to her young whims. He gently collected her into his arms. At the mercy of the small soul who had no concept of the vast world surrounding her.

* * *

Physical exhaustion was just part of being a huntsman. Emotional fatigue was an entirely different sort of beast. Worse, perhaps, than slaying Grimm.

He'd long concluded that he could suffer any physical pain on the planet. Nothing would hurt more than watching the ones he loved suffer. The mental hoops he had to jump only grew more complex as his life went on. He was surrounded by people who needed him. Good men were not built of brawn, but, rather determination. The job of a family man was first and foremost to his family and his home. So, first thing in the morning, he did the one chore he hated above all else.

Grocery shopping.

The second mark of a good man was his duties to kinfolk. People were not meant to live alone. Not humans, not Faunus. A strong community could only be cultivated by the will of the people who saw fit to keep it that way. As his friend attempted to withdraw herself from her team, he carefully dragged her back in. Considering that friend was Blake Belladonna, that was no easy task.

Herding feral alley cats might have been easier than coaxing Blake into doing anything.

"Look, all I'm saying is that maybe Weiss wouldn't mind seeing where things go."

"I don't know about that, Sun." Blake said to him, her voice crackling from the other side of the scroll. "She has a lot on her plate right now."

"When doesn't she?" He rolled his eyes, thankful that he couldn't be seen as he adjusted the earpiece. With a glance to the list he'd been given, he continued walking up and down each and every isle. "She always has something going on, Blake. She always will. It didn't stop her from getting married and poppin' out a kid once before."

"Need I remind you that she got divorced?"

"Need I remind you she reeks of the guy every time she crosses paths with him?" Sun quipped back before cringing at his own wordplay. That was one of the worst things he could think of to say. He gathered the fresh produce while berating himself inwardly. Outwardly, he cursed. "Damn it... Okay, so that might have been a stupid thing to say, and that's not the best way to convince you."

"You think?" She groused darkly, a growl at the edge of her voice.

"Give me a break, I didn't mean anything weird by it." Sun sighed as he turned the corner to stock up on vegetables. He could almost feel her ire burning through the call. "Blake, could you stop growling at me. Sounds like you want to take my head off…"

"No one's supposed to know about that." She said, sounding as though her teeth were still clenched. "Weiss has been very careful to keep that private."

"We're Faunus Blake, our noses don't lie. Besides, it's not like I told anybody, not even Ruby." He said, a fist full of carrots hitting the basket before radishes and lettuce followed suit. "Putting the whole boy-toy thing aside, you've been friends for years."

"So...?"

" Obviously, she doesn't hate you." Sun said, plucking a box of raisins from a side isle. "If you're honest with her about things, maybe she'll consider giving it a chance. If you both take the time, it might work out."

"She won't date." Blake was fast to retort, almost as if she refused to hear his words at all. "She's sworn that off completely. She won't bring anyone new around Ada. Knowing what I know about the White Fang activists and supporters, I don't blame her."

"Key words there." Celery in hand he left the produce section. "Anyone new. You're not new. She can trust you, and she knows that."

"That little girl as a target painted across her back. As long as she's young and defenseless, she's at risk. The White Fang are going to try to make her life a living hell." Blake said, an entirely new tirade picking up from the ashes of her other excuses. "If I were to get involved, then even the humans might be against it. Could you imagine that? Besides, I'm not so good with kids."

"Newsflash, no one's good with kids without a little practice." He told her. "If we were, Ruby wouldn't have had to pace the house half of the night with a pissed off baby."

"Fine, but still..."

"Would ya stop being a pain in the ass?" Sun groused.

"I mean it, Sun. What about Nolan?"

Sun wasn't sure what to say about that. "What about him, Blake?" He muttered soft enough not to be overheard in case there was anyone nearby. "Nothing's wrong with taking the edge off a little. Weiss has a life, she's going to want to live it." When Blake said nothing to this, he lowered his voice further. "Maybe he's all she's got..." He posed thoughtfully. "Maybe, if she had someone else she could rely on, she wouldn't turn to him."

Blake laughed bitterly. "Her life obviously doesn't include me in that way…"

"Dunno." He said, knocking a loaf of bread into the basket as he passed by the shelf. "I wouldn't be too sure about that."

"Trust me, I'm positive."

"How can you be positive about something you haven't found out from the source?" He asked, only receiving a sigh for his effort. "Take it from me. Human women are usually shyer about those kinds of things. The whole world tells them not to talk about sexy stuff, so, they just don't. It took a long time to get Ruby used to talking about it…what she wanted…what she liked..." The entire thought still upset him. "Most human women probably don't know that they can talk about those things, or that they _should."_

"Tell that to Yang..."

"I said _usually_, and she doesn't count." He could just imagine Blake brushing his point off. She tended to do that more than she would ever admit. "I mean, hell, you aren't nose blind and you act like you are. Even you don't say the sorts of things Yang does. Actually, when I think about it, you're a really private person…probably one of the most conservative Faunus I know."

"That's not the point, Sun."

"It_ is_ the point though... It's mine anyway." He pressed, unwilling to let sleeping dogs lie. "Blake, you don't know how Weiss feels about you. You've never asked. Yeah, she's got something going on with Nolan. I'll give you that, but listen. We both know it won't go anywhere. If it had, she wouldn't have gotten divorced in the first place. She'd probably stop sleeping with him if she had someone else in her life to fill that need. You owe it to yourself to find out if you can be that person…and if the answer's no, at least find out why."

"There's a whole list of reasons why."

"Stuff you came up with? Or was it stuff Weiss told you?" Sun shot back, pausing at stacks of cookies. They weren't on the list, but he'd be remiss to forget such a guilty pleasure. He grabbed one bag of chocolate chips. His other hand lingering between the fudge bars and vanilla wafers.

"My own reasons, not hers."

He grabbed one of each. Neither would go to waste. "Why do you always do that?"

"Do what?"

"Push people away like this?" He bypassed the canned goods, recalling a time when he'd pick up a few cans of tuna out of habit whenever he made a trip to Vale. She had always found that more endearing than flowers. She valued practical gifts that she would use. At first, he didn't think anything of it, but now he knew the truth. Blake denied herself so many simple pleasures, and he could never figure out why. "It never mattered what I did, you always felt like you couldn't measure up. Nothing was ever good enough, even when I said it was. You were never happy, Blake. That was all I ever wanted you to be, and you never were."

"I _was_ happy, Sun. Far more than you ever gave me credit for."

"Maybe..." He murmured. "It'd be different with Weiss..."

"You say that..."

"I know it, okay? You look at her and you just…" He trailed off with a sigh. "I don't think you know what romantic love is all about. I don't think you've ever let yourself figure that out. Maybe, before, you just didn't have to. Maybe what you had with her was enough." Finishing the shopping list by gathering the milk and meat, he leaned on the basket heavily as he pushed it along "All I'm saying is that maybe it's not enough anymore…and if it isn't enough for you, well…maybe it's not enough for Weiss, either."

* * *

He learned to love the haves in his life. He learned let those great gifts be enough for him. The lesson served him well.

It wasn't always easy. The lists of have-nots grew longer by the day. Dragged away by every grocery bill, medical expense, and hour of missed sleep. The tiny sacrifices he made continued to add up, and the more he let go of those small things, the less he missed them. There were glimpses of selfishness. Times he would have liked to have things his way. Sometimes he wanted to pretend that his greed was the only thing that mattered.

He'd be lying if he said he never felt annoyed by his responsibilities. Especially when they called him away from his joys in life.

He certainly missed the bygone days with his teammates. Nights of slamming down beers and bowls of noodles without remorse. The hangover cures and moronic schadenfreude. He missed the dusty dirt roads and bored stupidity that could only be shared between four young men in the wilderness. They'd carved their lives far away from the safety of home. The harsh realities of the world raising them from boys to men slowly. Hard work, Grimm, and failures beating the immaturity out of them relentlessly. It was such a gradual change, he didn't realize it at first.

None of them did.

They'd been molded into men together, which had made parting ways so much more painful. He had plenty of stories to tell, many of them too embarrassing to ever be spoken aloud. He didn't regret any of it, even when he looked at his weapon on the wall. He would never make those kinds of journeys again. None of his teammates would. There was no time for that sort of recklessness. Not now. Not with families to look after, and commitments of their own.

His days as a young, stupid, huntsman was a stage of his life well-lived. Cherished all the more for its brevity. He was not a wealthy man, but as he popped open a can of beer and brought it to his lips, he was fine with that.

Ruby was curled into his side, her head resting on his chest. A bowl of popcorn balanced between them. A good tournament battle was about to start. Taiyang slouched in his armchair, napping after the long teaching mission he'd been on. Keiko was acquainting herself with her great uncle. Bonding with Qrow the only way she knew how. Looking up to him with those big silver eyes.

Sun knew, he really couldn't ask for more than this.

Honestly, he didn't want to.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 Blake: The Atlesian Way Part 3**

Atlas proclaimed itself to be the best kingdom on Remnant. Much more grand and powerful than all of the others. The prideful boasts weren't made blindly. There was some level of truth to them. The military had been known to ham-fistedly display that power, true. However, Atlas _had_ cultivated it. That fact couldn't be forgotten. They were the first kingdom to fully realize the complete potential of dust, both as a weapon and a tool for survival. That was irrefutable. Their leaps in technology couldn't be easily ignored. The kingdom was invaluable, not even Faunus could dispute that.

Honestly, it was a far safer place to live than most gave it credit for.

A strong council maintained firm command over the Kingdom. A strict patriarchal leadership demanded perfection among the people. There were pleasantries displayed in Atlas, as expected by its people. They were a principled society, holding old values aloft. Sometimes those values came at the expense of rights or privileges afforded to others. Many stated that Atlas merely protected the concept of social decorum. That Atlas didn't need to extend rights and privileges to those seen as unworthy.

Within their prosperous kingdom, the festering malignancy was seen as normal and common place.

Although Faunus were expected to follow the laws in Atlas, the humans were not expected to respect Faunus in the same way. Even a simple tilt of the hat would never be extended down from human to Faunus. It would have been laughable to expect it. A little black bow solved many of life's problems. Blake didn't hide as often as she used to. Still, some days it was just easier to run errands with her ears covered from view. Looking human offered a small taste of atlesian luxury.

Men tilted their hats to her ever so slightly. Happily going about their day, as she went about hers. That would never happen if they knew her to be a Faunus. Since they could only suspect, it was better to be cautious than to be insulting. One of the many comforts afforded to a lone woman in Atlas, was that she could ignore the men all that she wanted. She didn't have to pay them the time of day, and often, Blake just didn't.

So long as no one knew of her heritage, she wouldn't be expected to show reverence to the humans she passed by on the street.

She stopped by a corner store. She purchased a loaf of bread, a hunk of cheese, and a moderately priced bottle of wine. She fully intended to take her prizes back to the dorm. Perhaps if she were lucky, she'd come across a lonely huntress or two in one of the shared common rooms. Maybe she'd be able to strike up a conversation. Blake walked down the snow covered path, stopping only to look up a large billboard.

Her friend's image had been plastered across the top of it.

Weiss was the picture of beauty. Smiling elegantly while sitting in a white chair. One leg crossed over the other. In the palm of her hand, she carefully showcased a blue vial of dust. Immaculate script covered the bottom of the billboard. Blake couldn't read the lettering, she was too distracted. Weiss looked perfect, too perfect. The image itself was a poor representation of who the woman really was. The person Blake had come to know was so much more than a pretty face plastered over an advertisement.

It made her blood boil, thinking that this was the image people saw. They knew nothing of the blood, sweat, and tears it had taken to get there.

Before she knew it, her feet were carrying her in a different direction. Down the city blocks and beyond dark alleys. Blake made her way to the esteemed headquarters where Weiss just had to be.

* * *

Blake acted so quickly that she soon found herself in over her head.

Standing the immaculately kept office of the CEO. She felt awed by the immense pressure that Weiss had to feel daily. This was only one office of many, but, it was the one often presented in the paper. She'd grown up seeing the silent war between the Faunus and the SDC. A low simmering rage between both parties often ending up within the uproar of the media. So many lies had been told back then, cover stories mopping away bloody murders and years of rebellion. Looking upon this room now, an outsider would never know all of the sinister little details.

Not even Blake knew them all. Looking back into the history, one thing was clear. The White Fang had made a bloodbath of the humans they so openly opposed.

The room didn't feel so evil now. Somehow, the way Weiss appeared seemed a more fitting example of a true Schnee at work. She had the motivation to do well by the people. So beautiful, but so very busy. Blake could see it in the depths of blue eyes. The way Weiss glared at the holographic images. The sag in her shoulders, the hallmark of an afternoon spent at her desk. Finally, the absence of the china teapot that had become part of family's storied traditions.

Weiss had forgotten to eat lunch..._again_.

"I never thought you'd actually visit the main building on your own." Weiss said from beyond the length of her desk. The dark wood only further highlighting the snowflake etched between the layers of clear glass that topped it. She pushed a few buttons on her desk to dissipate a holographic map of Atlas. The glowing dots representing mining locations fell away along with it. "So, what brings you by?"

"You mean besides the propaganda being posted around town?" Blake asked awkwardly. "Please tell me that you didn't actually approve those billboards."

"Welcome to big business." Weiss returned loftily, gathering her long hair to tie it back and out of the way. "Why, was something the matter with them?"

"Nothing really, they just surprised me." Blake stepped forward to put the paper bag on her friend's desk. Her ears rubbed against her bow as they fought to perk against the sound of crinkling paper. It was a wholly satisfying thing to hear. A gentle rustle calling childlike memories to her in that instant. It was also completely embarrassing to think that she might crush the bag between her fingertips if given half the chance. She cleared her throat, forcing herself to put the temptation out of her mind. "I brought refreshments. I thought you could use a break."

"That was a fast deflection, even for you." Weiss, ever the skeptic kept an eye on her friend. The tilt of her lips lingered a second too long. It was the only indication she gave to her displeasure. Still, if she was going to be bombarded by someone in the middle of the workday, Blake was the least offensive occupant Weiss could imagine. "Blake Belladonna, what could possibly be wrong with those billboards?"

"It's fake, and it's obvious. That picture is nothing like the real you." Blake finally muttered, more disturbed by explaining that realization than she should have been. Obviously the image had wanted to convey a certain type of message. She just didn't agree with it. "Every Faunus in Atlas is going to look up at those stupid things, and they're going to get the wrong impression. You've got that…what did Coco used to call it?"

"Resting bitch face." Weiss deadpanned.

"No, not that." Blake shot back, bottle in hand. The liquid became much more interesting. "The other thing."

"I don't know which insult you're referencing. She used to call me many things. I eventually lost count." Weiss said mildly as she extracted herself from her chair. She decided she could use a break after all. The growl deep in her belly reminded her that she could desperately use a meal, even if it only consisted of bakery bread and cheese. "That's the nice thing about being friends with Coco. She's honest to a fault. She's crass, and she doesn't rightly mind who that might offend. She also expects the same treatment in return...It's refreshing, mostly."

"I'm sure you asked her about the advertisement before it went out." Blake easily surmised. "I'd be willing to bet she wasn't a huge fan of it."

"No, but she agreed with my plans. It got my intended message out into the world." Weiss busied herself by collecting the bottle opener and glasses. Across the room there was a liquor cabinet and accompanying glasses. Thankfully, she had such a diligent janitorial staff. Otherwise the polished wood probably would have collected dust. "You're not wrong, you know…"

"I'm not?" Blake bit her lip as she almost crinkled the bag again. Collecting the bread and cheese. It wasn't easy to let go of the distraction. Particularly, when Weiss proved to be a more captivating sight.

"No, of course not." Weiss agreed once more. "I'm fully aware that my image comes across as haughty to say the least."

"The very least..." Blake finally let herself agree. "Why do you let them do that to you?"

"It's a public image, nothing more." The white haired woman brought the glasses to the corner sitting area. "It's not any of my concern what the public truly thinks of me. I learned long ago that money speaks more than public image." She took the offered bottle, removing the cork with practiced ease. "The two may go hand-in-hand, but, those qualities are not mutually equal."

"It's off-putting." Blake sighed, watching Weiss pour two glasses before carefully replacing the cork. "You'd gain more Faunus support if you'd go back to your older campaigns." One of those photos had been a crowd favorite. Weiss sat side by side with her employees, a metal cup of soup in one hand, and a few playing cards in the other. Velvet had taken the photo in their younger years, but somehow the media had gotten a hold of it. The entire image made front page news. "They really like seeing the real you, Weiss..."

Among Faunus circles, the image was still spoken of. Words tinged with hope, and Blake was not keen to let such a spark die out so soon.

"That's the problem. Only the Faunus seem to care, and only if it suits them to do so." Weiss didn't make eye contact. She didn't need to. Instead she fished a slender pocketknife from the depths of her business jacket. A press of a button summoned the deadly blade. "One photo happens to be grounded in reality, the other is not. The image on my current campaign is what the public assumes to be true. When I please the Faunus, it doesn't change the sale of dust either way. Humans are the ones with the large sums of money, and they're the ones that pay."

"And yet, here you are using a pocket knife to lob off hunks of bread from a full loaf." Blake pointed out. "Is this suddenly beneath you too, now?"

"According to many." Weiss replied as she moved her task onto the cheese. "I see no need to correct them, and neither should you."

That concept didn't sit well. It couldn't, not within the complicated culture that Atlas prided itself on. This new campaign would be even more important as underwater deposits were about to be harvested for the first time. It was a breakthrough that might give rise to new discoveries in the field. Only the Schnee Dust Company had the technology, money, and manpower to see such a lofty ambition come to fruition. It would be a new breath of fresh air within the industry, and it would surely encourage a whole new level of economic growth.

But, it still begged the question; who would pay the price?

"You're better than the blood in your veins. People deserve to know that." Blake finally said, her eyes locking onto the symbol that had been given far too much power in the past. The forbearers of the company had committed many atrocities that they would never answer for. "You may not feel the need to correct the public, but if you don't, who will?"

"No one, and that's by design." Weiss said as she handed Blake one of the glasses. "I did not become the CEO of this company to upheave everything my grandfather painstakingly built from the ground up. I became the CEO to return to his methods. That dream died ingloriously the moment I sat at this desk for the first time."

"You fought so hard for this, and now you're telling me it's all for nothing...?"

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong. It's not nothing, far from it." Weiss said. "I was just naïve. Grandfather's methods are no longer reasonable. Due to the era, his practices were accepted as enlightened. They probably _were_ revolutionary back then..."

"Past tense..."

"Yes, well, the same cannot be said for the world of today." Weiss went on to say, her expression soft against the cruel accusation. "I've been forced to rethink my methods, and, so that's what I've been doing. I have big changes planned, but, I must not act too quickly..."

"So you're putting up a front?" Blake asked quizzically.

"If you wish to call it that. I'd like to think that I'm redefining what it means to be a Schnee. I'm acting in my own way." Weiss said, her eyes looking up to the bow upon Blake's head. "Frankly, my choices to befriend Faunus puts me in a rather precarious position. I want to stand on my own merits, and for my accomplishments to reflect who I am as a person. Surely you can understand that."

With the bow still concealing her ears, she understood better than most.

* * *

Weiss had sent Blake home with a packet of information, but, the Faunus didn't have the heart to open it. Instead she tossed it onto her bedside table. It felt off, somehow. The envelope had weight to it, plenty of originations around Remnant looking for hunters with licenses like herself. Opening the packet felt like an entire commitment in and of itself. Just the idea was daunting enough. She had no clue what could possibly be in her future. Just considering those extensive possibilities seemed suffocating.

She wanted the old days back, and that would never happen. To distract herself from the obvious fact in front of her, Blake took a currier mission the next morning.

Several hours were spent on board an airship. Her mission was simple. Protect the piolet and the cargo from the airborne Grimm that saw fit to attack the small mail shuttle. Military outposts received care packages from loved ones. Nearby mining towns received supplies and loaded dust to be sent back to Atlas. There wasn't much to her task. It left more than enough time to regret the decision to take the work at all.

It was lonely. Her eyes focused on the long horizon and the clouds below the ship. These were missions best suited to partners with valid airship licenses. The sort she used to take with Yang or Ruby on a lazy afternoon. One would fly the ship, the other would run interference on any passing Grimm. The hours were usually spent in comfortable banter. The extra earnings covered a night out for dinner and drinks, even if little else.

As a solo huntress, she could only act as an escort for a piolet she had never met before. He wasn't one for small talk. Blake silently did her job, respecting the impersonal task for what it was. The sounds of the engines were the only thing keeping her company between the stops. With the mission complete and a wad of lien in hand, it was already late afternoon. She pocketed the money and went back to her dorm.

That night was spent alone.

The next few days followed in a somewhat similar patter. An easy mission in the morning, and an empty room to return to. Sometimes she spent hours in the canteen, but the faces were always changing. Missions calling away those who she might consider acquaintances. The Schnee Dust Company ran their commercials on television, and Weiss made a short announcement an atlesian radio broadcast. Yang seemed busy, and a call to Ruby only lasted for half hour.

She'd read every book on her shelf twice over, and the stack she'd managed to get from the library wasn't able to hold her interest.

With her mind wandering, and the silence becoming too much, Blake finally made a long overdue phone call to her parents. Kali was more than overjoyed to take a call from her elusive daughter. Blake called so rarely these days, a fact that Kali was sure to remind her. She visited even less often, which was reason enough for the two women to bicker good-naturedly over the phone. After the usual pleasantries and catching up on each-others' lives, an uneasy disquiet began to edge its way into the conversation.

Blake mentioned retirement, the offhanded thought bringing Kali to a pause.

"If you're truly considering retiring as a huntress, then I would suggest you come home." Kali suggested hesitantly. "At least for a little while."

"I don't think so..." Blake declined.

"Why not?" Kali was so keen to let the small hope pass by. "Who knows, you might learn something useful for your future endeavors."

"I'm never going to like Menagerie..."

"If only you'd give it a chance..."

"No, I don't like it there. I can see why others would, but, it's not home to me." Blake muttered unhappily. Her parents knew that she was opposed to leading Menagerie. They held hope that she would change her mind. "You and dad are there. That's the only reason I go back to visit at all."

"I know that dear. I think I've always known that you would never end up overseeing the island." Kali sighed, hating to admit it. "It's just that you're the only child we have. We thought you might be willing to give it a chance at the very least. Your father could certainly use the help."

"Mom, listen to me, that island is nothing more than a tumor." Blake chose her words carefully. "When the rest of us ask for rights within kingdom walls, naysayers point to that stupid little island. As if every Faunus should just move to Menagerie. Worst of all, the Faunus of Menagerie want nothing to do with humans. The longer those people stay there, the more brainwashed by their own biases they get." Blake know no good could ever come from those sorts of views. Both extremes harbored hatred that wouldn't heal the scars of time..it could only do harm. "It's dangerous, and I won't perpetuate that."

"I'm sure that you're right, Blake. It's not that your father and I don't believe you. It's just that there are two sides to every coin. Menagerie offers an option that never before existed. It might not help the plight, but, the world itself will never be ideal." Kali paused then, as thinking of something more. "I've learned that no matter what you do, negative biases will always exist. In cases where resolutions cannot be agreed upon, peaceful separation sometimes yields the best results for everyone."

"True, I won't argue that." Blake said. "But, when I prefer Atlas over Menagerie, I think that says something."

"Regardless, you're not escaping out of a trip that easily. You need to come home for a visit." Kali finally said simply, as if the decision had already been set in stone. "Even if you refuse to help your father with the island, we miss you. It's been too long, and your missions have always been the reason you've been unable to make the time. If you retire, you'll have plenty of it."

"It's not just work. Last time I came home, dad tried to set me up on that blind date, remember?" It was a memory Blake wished she could forget. "If I come back home again, you have to promise to stay out of my personal life. I can figure that part out on my own."

"He meant well." Kali said, but she couldn't hide the amusement out of her voice. "Your father and I aren't getting any younger. He worries about you. We both do."

"I keep telling you not to worry about me." Blake sighed, rolling her eyes. "I can't help that you always think the worst is going to happen."

"I wouldn't need to think that if you would choose a safer profession." Kali shot back, but it lacked heat. "You've always been such a free spirit, Blake. I don't claim to understand most of what goes on in your mind, sweetheart. Even so, I do worry about you. To be honest, I felt better about this whole huntress idea when you had your teammates with you. Besides, wandering around out there for so long must be cumbersome. It would be nice if you had a companion to accompany you. It would put my mind at ease to know you weren't alone."

"Somehow, I doubt you'd like my companion to exclusively be my hunting partner…" Blake groused out, her mother snickering on the other end of the line. "What did I tell you about my dating life?"

"I know, I know, I'm staying out of it." Kali laughed. "Still, it's a nice thought, isn't it? Having someone to curl up with under the stars?"

"If that's some sort of backward request for grandkids, it's never going to happen…"

"Not with that attitude it won't…"

"Mom!"

"Really, Blake, it's a request to be careful out there. I just want you to be safe." Kali stated, her tone softening. "Although, if you're going to keep assuming that I'm going to meddle in your love life anyway, I might as well be guilty of it. I happen to know a nice accountant who just so happens to be single…"

Blake felt her ear flick. "Mom… No… Just… No…"

* * *

Her ideology couldn't last in the form it currently took. Blake knew that. Eventually, she would come to hate being a huntress. She couldn't continue like this. Stubbornly affixed to the past as though the future itself was an apocalypse. She had learned long ago, there was such a thing as pointless sentimentality. Holding onto something for the sake of it wouldn't offer her any comfort. Eventually, it would just poison the things she loved most. Missions no longer provided any sense of fulfillment. They rarely sufficed as a suitable distraction. Kali's words held layers of truth to them, too.

Blake hadn't needed her mother to spell it out so blatantly, but, she had. That seemed like proof enough. Kali was often right about many things, even when Blake chose to deny it.

She caved in, opening up the envelope Weiss had given her. None of the options were satisfactory. The reason wasn't something that Blake wanted to admit. Still, she would ultimately have to come to terms with it. The years of denial weighed on her shoulders. Those same years of inaction were entirely her own doing. Loneliness itself would be an inevitable prophecy. It would continue to be that way so long as the title of a huntress came before everything else.

There would only be one way out of this mess. Brutal honesty would be the only solution. Deep down, Blake had known that. She had been completely aware of it. Yet, love was was also a comfortable burden. One that she revisited privately with startling regularity. Unless she broke the cycle, it would continue the same way it always did.

Alone.

Coming clean was wholly unsatisfying. Telling Weiss the truth, that was the easy part. The aftermath was entirely too complicated, and yet, stupidly Blake found herself doing it anyway. The three little words felt so vastly insignificant. They had been soured by the years that had buried them. Saying them in the first place wasn't a guarantee at happiness. Instead, it was a very intimidating start to a difficult future.

"You love me…" Weiss parroted, the words managing to sound delicate. After all, Weiss was not in a position to make many mistakes. The ones she did make could have far reaching consequences. The ones that hit closest to home were the ones that worried her the most. It showed in her hesitance and her skepticism. "You do realize how completely insane that sounds, right?"

"Well, when you put it that way…" And yet, that was the only way that Blake expected it to go. She'd already prepared herself to be let down. She knew that her affections might not be received well. She had handled them so terribly over the years. She couldn't even fathom another outcome.

"Blake, you have no idea what you're asking to get into. Saying something like that…" It was not anger that first reached her ears. It was a soft, almost melancholic. "The commitments you'd be forced to abide, the status you'd have to willingly inherit and uphold." She pulled her lower lip between her teeth, a scowl formed at the edges of her expression. The same sort of look she would give a textbook while puzzling out complex dust equations.

"You don't seem very surprised…" Blake murmured then, hearing her own heart hammering away in her chest. That tidbit of insight was enough to force a salty lump to lodge itself into her throat.

"Should I be?" Weiss asked quietly. "This isn't some mindless revelation you had overnight. This has been around for a long time." Even thinking about that was exhausting. "The question is how long, and I know I don't want that answer. I have enough of an educated guess to last my lifetime. I'm not going to ask the details, and you're not going to say them."

Sitting side by side in the massive SDC office, Blake wished there wasn't a gap between the armchairs. That it was just one long sofa, that she might be able to bridge this gap. Weiss seemed further away than ever before. Pensively studying the snowflake rug as though it would oblige her desire to swallow her whole.

"What do you want me to say, Weiss?" Blake asked.

"What else is there _to_ say?" Weiss shot back, this time more icily than either one of them expected. It showed clear on her face before a mask covered it back up. Indifference protecting her from even herself. "You come in here spouting ridiculous notions about love out of nowhere. Do you truly expect me to cobble together some sort of cohesive response to that?"

"I'll do whatever you want me to." Blake said.

"That's the problem." Weiss shot back. "You don't understand."

"Tell me to go." Blake said. "I'll leave. No hard feelings. I won't bother you with it ever again."

"You'd no longer be able to be a huntress." Weiss commented, grasping onto logic when emotion itself stunted her. "Provided that we were…_compatible_…you would need to accept what your position in my life would eventually mean." She still didn't know how she felt about Blake. It wouldn't matter if Blake couldn't rise to lofty expectations. "I'd need you in the home, and as I've told you before, that's not easy. Choosing to be a high profile housewife is by no means a simple task. Do you even think you could be that sort of person?"

Blake shrugged wordlessly. She had no idea. It never crossed her mind.

"You would have to be sure, Blake." Weiss sighed. "You would need to be willing to make commitments well beyond the scope of commoners. Having stood in that place, I promise you it's not easy. If you don't believe me, just ask Velvet. She knows all about having to dance to Coco's tune. Even if there are times she doesn't want to, if she doesn't act like an obedient wife in the public eye, it would look bad for Coco. It works for them because Velvet's very secure in her place in life. It wouldn't work otherwise."

"Being a huntress is the only life I've ever known." Blake said, the admittance a rather dim one. "I'd be willing to bet that if things wouldn't work, I'd find out pretty quickly." Blake muttered, somewhat disturbed by how inviting domestic life seemed. She knew it wasn't so perfect, but in that moment, it seemed that way. "It's the best I can say."

Weiss seemed to consider that at length. "As an unmarried owner to my company, I am not currently expected to maintain social graces. That would change the moment I begin seeing anyone. Suddenly I'd be expected to make the rounds in certain social circles, and so would you. That means attending dinner parties and hosting galas at the estate. You would be expected to socialize gracefully with others in my social circle, no matter how racist they may or may not be..."

Blake nodded, that she had already known about. The way Weiss folded her hands in her lap made the anxiety rise anew as they both absorbed the quiet.

"I'm one of the last people you should be getting involved with." Blake knew it to be true. "And everything makes this look like a bad idea."

"What about Ada?" Weiss posed a moment later. "You never have been fond of children, and yet she would become a very large part of your daily routine…"

"It's not that I don't like children…" Blake said uneasily. "It's just that I know what they can be capable of, and that's terrifying. Even thinking that some little kid is going to look up to m…" Blake didn't have an excuse for it, but it chilled her to the bone all the same. "You know my past. Unintentional or not, there's a nasty history there. I don't want to be the sort of person anyone tries to emulate."

"You are not the worst influence she could possibly have to look up to." Weiss sighed, her thumb and first finger pinching the bridge of her nose. The entire notion was completely ludicrous. "As for any unsightly histories, she'll have plenty of that on her own. As long as she's my daughter, she will always be prone to the forces that our bloodline can impose. If she picks up any behavior from you, it'll be the least of many evils."

"You'd have to want to be with me, though." Blake posed, that one large question looming over everything else. The details wouldn't survive without the both of them investing themselves in one another. "And I mean, you don't really seem overjoyed or anything…"

"I have only had one romantic partner in my entire life." Weiss bit out, affixing her smoldering blue eyed gaze to Blake. It was times like this that she wished for a dueling ring. If only so that she could beat some sense into the Faunus that sat beside her. A healthy spar had helped them to communicate in the past, but now, those luxuries were long gone. All she could do is let cold fury power her gaze. "I have never been with a woman in a way that might implicate myself in a lesbian romance."

"I know..." Blake said, her gut twist.

"I've never even considered being with a faunus either." Weiss continued. "You're both, and it's never occurred to me. Not_ once!_ Therefore, the fact we're talking about this should be your first clue…"

"Weiss, if you don't-"

"I need time." Weiss interrupted. "Frankly, so do you."

Blake nearly crumpled in on herself. "Sorry…"

"Let me be clear, I am not opposed to courting a woman, faunus or not..." Weiss said pointedly. "However, I am very much opposed to courting someone who cannot assimilate themselves into my lifestyle and household accordingly."

"You don't think I could?" Blake asked softly.

"I don't know." Weiss said honestly. "I have a child to think about, and company to oversee. I'm not willing to deal with anymore arguing over missions in the field, or complaints about the Atlesian upper-class. Those are fights I had with Nolan, and one of the reasons we divorced. I refuse to have the same verbal battles with you...but I'm afraid that those types of fights will happen. I need time to consider this, Blake. You've had years to determine how you feel about me. Please allow me a few days to gather my thoughts about you."

* * *

Weiss wanted time, and Blake had promised to do anything Weiss needed of her.

So, Blake gave her time.

It was agony going home that night to an empty dorm room. No clear answer, her affection waiting in limbo. Weiss hadn't been lying though, her words came from a deeper honesty that the Faunus could only respect. Even as she held the license in her hands once more, she couldn't help but feel that her time as a huntress was fading out. She slept horribly, tossing with every doubt and turning with every validation. It was almost nightmarish just how cynically she could rip to shreds her own arguments in both directions.

Finding reasons to both love and hate this cursed notion of time. She felt like she had wasted so much of it already. Time she could have easily provided Weiss long before.

It was foolish, perhaps, but she clung to it anyway. Hanging desperately onto even the slightest chance to prove herself. An old instinct echoed in her mind. Telling her that she needed to be a valuable asset. It was a side of herself she hated. It was responsible for so many bad ideas, like blindly following the White Fang in the past. Her logic was simple, prove herself and rise the ranks. Prove her worth, and make a difference. Her instincts went beyond logic, and often rejected reason.

Instinct was probably what enamored so many young Faunus. Allowing them to be indoctrinated into a system far more sinister than they'd ever assume.

Instinct was strange, a gut feeling, buried deep within the blood and the soul. It was hard to fight against. A struggle all Faunus had to contend with. Some were more aware of themselves than others. Some could detect where instincts ended and logic began. Blake loved them and hated them at the same time. She sometimes relied on her instincts when related to combat, catlike as they were. Her reflexes combined well with sensitive hearing. Together they had kept her alive more than once.

This instinct was different in every way. It struck so rarely, and yet it came to her now like a second skin. She could almost taste it in the air, feel it with every breath. The restlessness clawing at her. Figments of her imagination finding purchase in the unspoken promise.

Instinct told her that she would need to prove herself worthy to her potential mate.

It scrutinized every inadequacy, snarled at every imperfection. It wordlessly spoke to her. Telling her that this tiny room was not adequate. That these accommodations were not acceptable for a mate and offspring. Obviously, Blake already knew that logically. Her instinct alone made the notion uncomfortable. It mewled at her, warning that her weapon wasn't sharp enough to be sufficient protection. She had an urge to hunt, this one different then a human would understand. Her mind hissed at her when she stubbornly rolled onto her belly. Her face pressing into her pillow.

Instinct had saved her life more than once, but tonight, it was just flat out annoying.

Like an itch she couldn't scratch…


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8  
Weiss: The Atlesian Way Part 4**

Dating a commoner wasn't as easy as it might sound. Weiss doubted Blake knew the finer details of living such a seemingly charmed life. There were many important qualities that Weiss just couldn't do without. Keeping butler was one of those qualities.

Having competent household staff was about as personal as an invasion of privacy could get. Thankfully, Klein could be trusted. Still, in his line of work, very little was left to his imagination.

Private matters were not so private in the many Schnee households. At the main manor a butler was in charge of oversight, keeping the entire staff in order. The countless staff tried to stay out of sight and out of mind, providing invisible conveniences to their employers. They usually did their best never to disturb the wealthy residents of the households they cared for. Those that did interact with the Schnee family were those paid the highest salaries, and were usually human.

That might have been well and good for those with sprawling estates, but, Weiss didn't have such a large home.

She took a more practical approach when it came to hired help. She didn't particularly care if Klein stayed out of sight or not. She had nothing to be ashamed of, and she wasn't squeamish about relying on her own independence if he happened to be busy. All of the mundane household tasks usually fell onto Klein. She held a high expectation of him when it came to social matters. He would always be sure that the esteemed family manor was adequately prepared for every formal event she was expected to host. Secondly, she certainly expected her daughter to be well taken care of. Lastly, she preferred the household to be tidy by the time she returned every evening.

Weiss trusted Klein with everything. He did almost all of the cooking, cleaning, shopping, and laundry. As such, he knew very intimate details that most others never would.

He usually changed her sheets weekly, or more often whenever Nolan made an appearance. It was obvious that he knew her level of sexual activity. When she was on her cycle he restocked feminine hygiene products without her having to ask. He filled her prescriptions and gathered the rest of the supplements she needed. Klein knew her so well, he had even made note of the brand of stool softener she kept in the medicine cabinet.

Weiss thought very little of his attentiveness to detail. In fact, it was something she expected to make each day easier. It was a fact of her life that wouldn't ever change, even when Klein was no longer able to provide service. She would still need a butler regardless. She would be forced to hire a new one.

Still, Weiss had to wonder, could Blake even tolerate having a butler around?

If not, a relationship would be impossible, and that was just one complication of many…

* * *

"So," Coco started conversationally with a hot cup of coffee in hand. It helped to chase away the lingering chill of the cold weather. "You don't think Blake can adjust to your lifestyle, is that it?"

"I'm not sure. Why?" Weiss genuinely asked. "Is it so wrong to worry about something like that?" She was holding her own coffee, even if it had gone mostly untouched. The warmth itself was soothing through the container. the dark liquid grounded her, even if it was a little bitter.

"No." Coco said after a bit of thought on the subject. "I think it should worry you."

"It does, rest assured." Weiss replied, looking at a bird that perched on a nearby tree. It had managed to catch her daughter's attention too. The little girl gawking at it and waving a small pouch of bird food in attempts to attract it. This indoor park was covered in greenery and foliage. It felt closer to a cool spring day inside, even if snow collected all around the windows outside. "I didn't sleep well last night. I was too busy thinking about her."

"And?" Coco pressed. "How do you feel about her?"

"Confused." Weiss deadpanned, lifting that coffee to her lips for far longer than she needed to in order to sip from it.

It was rare to have an outing like this. Both of them waited for the small hours where they could just sit on the park bench. Watching their children play together was its own reward. Too bad it happened so rarely, mostly because Coco couldn't find the time to have to herself. The fashion industry was a social one, bleeding into almost all of high society. There were just some things that just couldn't be avoided, and to be successful reclusiveness wasn't an option.

It had been a difficult path, but one Coco chose without any regrets. Weiss only wished she could have Coco's conviction.

"Honestly, it should worry Blake, too." Coco went on to say. "I realize that they're two very different people, but, a Faunus will always be scrutinized in hour social circles. It can't be helped." Her words were slowing as she became distracted by her own wayward thoughts. "Velvet doesn't handle the spotlight well…"

"She seems to do well enough in the papers." Weiss mentioned. "I haven't seen a scandal yet. The press speaks very highly of her. It's Fox they seem to take issue with."

"Being in fashion allows me to do questionable things that you'd never get away with." Coco said, her grin dark and voice cloudy. "Velvet just so happens to fall into that category. If Fox wasn't so offensive to the media, then all of the attention would be on her. She would fold in an instant."

"That's not the impression that I get."

"Velvet's a rabbit Faunus. She's a pervert's wet dream. When she's reduced down to that really it bothers her." The way Coco said it, words dripping in disgust, Weiss knew that her friend felt the same. "I hate to say it, but, it rings true. Fashion isn't all about glamor. We've got our seedy underbelly just like every industry out there. Fashion… Dust… It doesn't really matter, Weiss. They're both exploitative."

"And yet, we're both masters in our craft." Weiss said, knowing that admitting such a thing came with its own twisted sense of pride. "What does the say about us?"

"That if there is such a thing as hell, we're going to burn in it." Coco shook her head. Morbid little truths aside, it didn't change her point. "All in all, the media doesn't care about Fox, and I'm a heathen either way. Velvet's the easy target, and the media knows it. They're after her like bloodhounds every chance they get. I'd be willing to bet the media would go after Blake too…"

Weiss supposed that much be true, but that was the least of her worries. "The media isn't my main concern. It's the personal things that worry me." Weiss confided, feeling awkward about doing so. "How do I boil my entire life down into something more sustainable?"

"I don't think you can. The commitments she'll need to make aren't going to be easy." Coco bluntly shot back. "Velvet, Fox, and I were together back at Beacon. We built our lives around our future. You and Blake don't have that luxury. If Blake can't take the pressure, she shouldn't get involved."

"There must be something I can do…" Weiss pressed. "You've helped them acclimate, I'm sure of it."

"Word of advice, let Blake drown a little bit before you try to rescue her." She brought her coffee to her lips, not liking to admit that she hadn't helped her lovers quite as much as Weiss thought. She wished she could have, but the demands of high fashion weren't modest. They had to stand on their own merits without Coco's protection. It wasn't easy, but it was a choice they made as a couple. "You can bend over backwards for Blake all you want, but if it makes things harder for you, it doesn't do any good at all."

"I see…" Weiss murmured unhappily.

"Blake waited too long, and now you've got an entire list of other priorities that come first. If she can't handle that, it's her problem, not yours." Coco replied, fishing around in her purse for her metal cigarette case and the lighter she kept with it. She took one for herself, before offering Weiss the chance to partake. She watch as Weiss pulled the slender white tobacco product from the case, perching it to her lips. Coco lit them both at the same time, taking a long drag. "It would be different if you loved her."

Weiss could only laugh bitterly. "I don't see what difference that would make at all."

"People do stupid things for love, trust me." Coco said offhandedly, wetting her lips with a long sigh. "If you were equally invested in Blake, it might be worth it to entirely upheave your life for her sake. The problem is, it's not worth it if you don't love her."

Weiss said nothing as the smoke filled her mouth and lungs. It was a horrid habit to have. She didn't even like it, but, she did like the memories they brought back to her. She'd spent so many nights in pubs in her youth. Hunter's inns were filled with smoke and cheap booze. A slow exhale released the poisonous guilty pleasure. She never could understand why so many people born into money took up smoking, it was hardly glamorous. She didn't partake the habit often, but, she had to admit, it was one of the least deadly things she could do in her life.

"…do you love her?" Coco asked while Weiss pondered the nature of the smoke twirling at the end of her cigarette.

"No, of course not." Weiss said with the slightest scowl and a flick of the cigarette. "It's only just recently that I've begun to understand the depth of her affection. How could I possibly reciprocate that kind of thing so soon?"

"Then my point still stands. If you're going to give it a try, play it safe." Coco told Weiss. "In the short term, it'll be easier for Blake to make the compromises for your sake. Who knows? You two end up playing the long game on this. If that happens then it'll be your turn to make sacrifices for her…but, that's only if you two make it that far."

"You don't think we will, do you?"

"Let me put it this way, I don't make bets that my tight little ass can't cash. At the end of the day, a bet is _still _just a bet. I don't throw into the pot more than I can afford to lose." Coco shrugged then, downing the rest of her coffee and tossing the cup in the trash. "It might work out, it might not."

* * *

Leaving romance by the wayside, Weiss felt compelled to wonder, could she even manage a relationship?

She wasn't entirely sure that she could. Happiness came secondary in her life for many reasons, most of them due to her upbringing. Old memories lingered in the back of her mind, and she hadn't done well to disprove all of things she had been told over the years. She wanted to believe that she deserved all of the happiness the world had to offer, but one look at her family made her doubt that.

She might not have been guilty for committing her father's atrocities, but she had fully accepted the responsibility of cleaning them up…

That took time and attention, both of which came at a premium in her life. Ada required constant care, and the company itself occupied a large quantity of nighttime insomnia. Weiss wondered if Blake would be willing to come secondary for a little girl who still needed her mother most. If she couldn't, there would be no way that Weiss could even entertain romantic overtures.

Her daughter had to be her first priority.

It was a reminder not easily forgotten as returned home. Ada was not in her room, and Klein was not in his. Instead, he had pulled a chair up by the master bedroom. Dressed in his pajamas and made further modest by his bathrobe, he placidly sat guard. He held a book in hand, idly thumbing through the pages. His beloved pipe perched to his lips. There was only one reason in the world why he would be sitting in the middle of the hall at this ungodly hour.

"Oh, no, not this again." Weiss sighed, already guessing the trouble.

"Yes, this again." He murmured, pulling his pipe from his mouth and concealing it from view. "Although, I hardly think it's a surprise."

"You should have called me." She said, eying the little twirl of smoke that dissipated from behind her butler. It was improper for a man to smoke in front of a woman who didn't partake the same indulgence. He only had one peipe, after all, and he wouldn't think to offer her that. His decorum went above and beyond what she often expected of him. "Klein, I don't like it when you end up working at this time of night."

"Indeed, but, as you can see I'm hardly working." He replied, lifting the book with a soft grin. "I'm merely enjoying my evening reading in a different location."

"Don't be ridiculous, the sun set hours ago, and for the last time you _can_ smoke in front of me." Weiss said with a fond roll of her eyes. She would never admit how much the smell of it comforted her. The minor childish indulgence was one of the few she allowed herself. There weren't many things more heartwarming on a cold Atlesian night than Klein sitting in front of the fireplace, a pipe to his lips and his nose to a book. "So, was it a nightmare?"

"I believe so." Cautiously marking his place in the old tome, he regarded Weiss with a somewhat sleepy expression. "She convinced there's a Grimm hiding under her bed."

"I see." Weiss said, not even remotely surprised. "And was there any evidence of such a thing?"

"Of course not." Klein shook his head. "I would have notified you if there had been. There's no reason to think that a Grimm has entered the Schnee grounds."

"I'll take it from here. Thank you, Klein."

"Think nothing of it." He replied, folding the chair and heading back to his own room for the night.

"You have my gratitude either way." She called back to his retreating form.

Weiss pushed open her bedroom door. Ada was huddled in a lump of blankets at the foot of the king sized bed. Pink eyes peered out from the makeshift blanket fortress, as if it could actually protect her from anything. Weiss already knew how the night was going to end up, but she knelt down to Ada's level anyway.

"Ada, you need to go to bed."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Cause."

"Ada, answer the question." Weiss said sternly. "Why aren't you in your own bed?"

"There's a Grimm." She said from between the safety of her blankets.

"Where did you see it?" Weiss asked.

"Not here."

"Obviously.." Weiss muttered as she glared at the bundle of blankets. "Ada, where did you see it? Was it In your bedroom?"

The ball of blankets shifted as Ada nodded from within the confines of safety. "Yes."

"I was just in your room. I didn't see anything." Weiss told her.

"I saw the Grimm."

Of course she did. It was always a Grimm. Or sometimes merely a wayward sock under the bed that _looked_ like a Grimm…

"There are no Grimm in the house, I promise."

"I saw it!"

Deep down, Weiss didn't doubt it. A child's mind could fabricate anything from the depths of a dark room and lonely house. She firmly recalled that detail firsthand. Her own childhood nightmares were only mitigated because Winter had always been down the hall. Her older sister fully willing to protect her from any beasts, real or imagined, that her own young mind had come up with.

"I don't think it was a Grimm." Weiss said softly. "It was probably just a shadow."

A sad, somewhat pathetic sound drifted from the blanket.

Obviously, whatever it had been was plenty real to the little girl cocooned in blankets. Weiss squashed down the urge to arm herself, realizing how stupid the notion was. There were no Grimm inside her house. It would be impossible not to set off the alarms. Still, her daughter trembled as though there were in fact Grimm stampeding through her bedroom.

Weiss was no stranger to the uneasy feeling that had settled into the pit of her stomach. She knew the anxiety well by this point, especially in regards to the concept of guilt. Her ambitions failed her so terribly on occasion. There were some things that she could not excuse away. Seeing Ada curled up in such a little ball was one of those failings. Just another painful reminder of what solitude could do to such an impressionable child.

Weiss knew that she wasn't the warmest person on the planet, but this reminded her of too many unhappy memories.

How many nights had she done this? Spending hours huddled in a wad of blankets, terrified that a Grimm was going to eat her? How many times did she wait for someone to come save her from the dark room and angry shadows? Sadly, it wasn't a threat that could be completely tossed aside, either. Grimm weren't imaginary, they were real. A healthy fear of the Grimm wasn't exactly a bad thing. Weiss relented, standing from her position and preparing for bed.

Mindlessly, she shuffled out of her work attire and into a nightgown, stopping by the bathroom to brush her teeth. Craning her head outside of the bathroom, she could see Ada glaring at the bedroom door. She was so tightly coiled she would likely spring out in shock at the slightest surprise. Weiss rolled her eyes before sliding back into the bathroom, rinsing her mouth and washing her face.

Finally ready to get some sleep, she untangled her daughter from the wad of blankets she had cocooned herself in. "Come on." She said, managing to withhold her sigh. "It's bed time."

"The Grimm's out there…" Ada insisted, finger pointing outward to the hallway.

"Ada, I'm a huntress. There are no Grimm in this house. If there were, I would have killed it already." Weiss proclaimed rather adamantly. "Now, come lay down by me so that we can both get some sleep…"

* * *

As an owner to an entire company, days off weren't as relaxing as they used to be. She chose to spend her days at home if she could, but even that came with a list of chores to oversee. Half an eye on her computer and half an eye on her daughter made for an exhausting Saturday for a single mother.

Klein took his leave after breakfast, happily accepting his time off to partake an outing of his own. Weiss didn't ask where the man was going. He was quite happy not to disclose the matter, either. He dressed more dapperly than usual, and carried a tin of chocolates in his hand. He looked as though he was off to a date. Weiss had her suspicions, but, that's all they would ever be.

She had her own love life to figure out. Her mind drifted to Blake. Another question tumbling round in her mind.

Even if she could maintain a relationship, could she manage it with Blake?

That was a harder question to answer. Weiss chewed on it over breakfast, and fixated over during the mid-morning cartoons that her daughter liked to watch. Her eyes followed the colored blobs on the screen absently. She wondered if Blake could learn to appreciate this type of morning. It was something akin to a gift, being able to watch Ada enjoy a snack and play on the floor. She wondered if Blake would be satisfied by such a simple little thing. Could Blake even tolerate this sort of life? Would she willingly acclimate to Ada's needs without hesitation?

It wasn't an easy thing to do, and Weiss knew that first hand. She bit her lip as she returned to her work.

"Why are they bad?" The little girl asked innocently.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Grimm." Ada chirped. "Why are they bad?"

It was such an odd question...

Weiss glanced over the glass of her scroll and the image of the hologram. She regarded the little girl who twirled a red block in her hands. Pink eyes looked at the toy as though might have the answer. Weiss struggled with the sight. There was no easy way to condense down such a complicated question. A half-truth was the best she could offer. "They're just not very nice. They do bad things."

"They are big…"

"Not all Grimm are big." Weiss said gently. "Some are small."

"Oh…" Just like that, Ada went back to building her multicolored tower of blocks. "Are small ones bad?"

"All Grimm are bad." Weiss confirmed. "Big and small, all Grimm."

"White ones are good." Ada said then, turning to look at her mom. "White ones are nice."

Weiss couldn't help but wonder what sort of details her daughter clung onto. She couldn't shelter the girl from everything. Ada had been told plenty of over-the-top stories from her father. He embellished the excitement, and hid the gruesome facts for her sake. The television made Grimm into an unavoidable novelty for toys, books, and horror movies. Winter was no help either, she saw no point to hide the family semblance. She had no qualms about showing off the Grimm she commanded.

Apparently those white summons had left an impression…

"No, dear." Weiss said quietly. "The white ones listen to us, but, they are still bad." She would not deviate from that mindset. A half-truth, to protect Ada. Later, when she was older, she would be given the full truth. Right now, she was still too young to grasp the subtle concepts of the Schnee family semblance.

Honestly, it was better that way. Ada was just a little girl, and she would remain that way for as long as fate allowed it.

Weiss swore it.

Yet, even if the family semblance was too hard a thing to fathom, there were other matters to talk about. She placed away her scroll and the work that had been occupying her. She sat on the floor beside her daughter. She picked up one of the white blocks. It looked like it had been scribbled on with yellow crayon. She didn't need to ask why. Instead, she brushed the marked surface with her thumb. Some things were just too difficult to ask.

She needed an easy question, one with a simple answer. "Do you like it when Yang comes to play with you?"

Ada nodded. "We make messes."

"Yes, you do." Weiss said, fully aware that Yang was just the sort of person to invite clutter everywhere she went. "Is it fun?"

"Yep." Ada said, having to stand up to put the block onto the tower. She happily took the next block her mom handed her, placing that atop the growing plastic wall.

"What do you do?"

"Things."

Weiss rolled her eyes. Handing over another block. "What kinds of things?"

"Paint." Ada said, taking the block and repeating the action. "Play blocks." She adored Yang. Honestly, it was hard for any child to dislike the charismatic blonde.

Weiss wished the next question wasn't so hard to ask, but, it was the one that truly mattered. "What about Blake? Do you like her?"

"Na-uh." Ada said, matter-of-factly. "Kitty's scary."

"That's what I thought." Weiss murmured to herself as Ada toppled over the wall so that it could be built anew.

Blake was certainly the most intimidating member of Team RWBY, especially to Ada.

Ruby was a walking supplier of all things sweet. From cookies to candy, there was no telling what sort of treat Ruby would give to the girl. She made a habit to send baked-goods often, and that certainly helped to bridge the long distance divide. Ada had taken to Ruby like a small duckling. She was even more enamored now that there was often a small baby on the screen whenever Ruby happened to be on video.

Yang was everything that Weiss wasn't, and with even less of a societal give-a-damn than Coco. That level of fearlessness only promised havoc, and Ada loved the controlled chaos that only the blonde could get away with. It helped that Ada had known Yang from birth, promising that extra layer of trust that other people just hadn't attained from the child.

Blake was the big angry Faunus. She always carried her weapon and she was quiet unless spoken to. She had a habit of rightfully scolding Yang when the blonde playfully provoked her, but she could see how that might look scary to a child. Blake's sporadic visits coupled with her less than jovial temperament made her intimidating to the little girl.

If Blake truly wanted to peruse a relationship that would have to change. With that decision in mind, Weiss decided upon her first test.

* * *

"You know, it's funny." Weiss said, looking down at the image of the Faunus in front of her for a moment. Taking her eyes off the screen, she turned away to put a few clean towels into the nearby rack. "I thought that I'd get to know Klein a little better given the size of my home. His mysteries remain the same either way." She said gently, not missing the way that Blake flinched from the statement.

"Doesn't it bother you…?" Blake asked. "Not knowing, I mean…"

"Why would it bother me? Even if I knew the truth, nothing would change." Weiss said humorously. With the linens put away, all she needed to do was prepare her pills for the week. "Anyway. I won't be able to rely on Klein tomorrow, either."

"What's your plan then?"

"On a Sunday? I don't make any plans if I can avoid it. We'll just hang around the house like we always do." Weiss told her. "Maybe we'll stop by the park, but other than that I'm hoping for an uneventful day indoors. While we're on the topic, though, I was thinking that maybe you could come over and watch Ada for a few hours one of these days. Hopefully, sometime next week if you're up for it."

"You…_what_?" Blake's voice crackled from the scroll before cutting off. "I don't think I heard you."

"I want you to keep an eye on Ada one of these days…" Weiss said again as she leaned on the bathroom counter. Her blue eyes glanced up to the mirror, checking on Ada as she played in the bubble bath. Then she went back to sorting out her weekly vitamins and aura enhancers for the following week. Ada was none the wiser to her mother's chores, happily collecting the suds around her face like beard.

"Um…" Blake hesitated.

"You _can_ manage to look after her for a few hours, can't you?" Weiss did her best to keep the amusement to herself as she capped another bottle and placed it on the highest shelf of the medicine cabinet. She opened the last bottle counting out seven pills into her palm, waiting for Blake to respond.

"I'm not busy or anything." Blake managed, her voice cutting out again. "I just don't think she likes me very much."

"It's not about like or dislike, she's afraid of you." Weiss replied as she nudged her scroll, knowing that her bathroom had some of the worst signal in the entire house. "It shouldn't be a surprise. You never have attempted to endear yourself to her. We need to start amending that somehow."

"If she's scared of me, don't you think leaving the two of us alone would be a bad idea?"

"Oh, I'll be home whenever you decide to do it." Weiss said bluntly, placing the last pill into the box. She snapped down all of the lids and recapped the bottle. "I'm not _that _vindictive."

"Then, if you'll be home, what will you be doing?" Blake asked, her voice clearly confused.

"Working." Taking the newly sorted box of pills, she placed them on the lowest shelf of the medicine cabinet. Then she closed the door, snapping down the small gold padlock. The key went back to the safe little hiding place inside a small box and placed in the back of a nearby drawer. "I'll be in my home office the entire time. That's why we will need to plan the day. I don't want to be called away to a meeting if it can be avoided. Do you think you're up for it?"

"Yeah..." Blake hesitated, a sure sign of her nervousness. "Yeah, I think that'll be alright. You can pick the day. I'll make myself available."

"Alright then." Weiss said softly. "I'll decide what works best for me when I go into work…"

The night passed by slower than Weiss would have liked. After helping Ada finish her bath and get ready for bed, it was finally time for reading. Weiss made her way through another fairytale from the gigantic book that Ruby had insisted upon buying. Ada finally dozed off. Weiss sighed in relief as she turned off the light, and quietly closed the door behind her. With any luck, Ada would stay in her own bed tonight.

The clock in the hallway struck eight, and Klein was still out.

With the peaceful night to herself, Weiss went into the kitchen to make her own cup of tea...


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 Yang: Warmth in All Forms**

Contrary to popular belief, Yang didn't have everything all figured out. She didn't want to figure it out, either…

Her life was a whirlwind, and she was fine with that. Going with the flow had always been her greatest aim. It wasn't for everyone. In fact, for most, it was probably an unhealthy way to live. Yang didn't discount that. Most of her friends would never be able to live the way she did. They wouldn't be able to love it. The pressure and anxiety would be too much for them.

She glided by moment-by-moment with flippant disregard for what others might think. She did what she wanted, when she wanted, and nobody was going to tell her not to.

Honestly, it was selfish to live the way she did. Yang had known that all along. It helped that she had a zest for life and a loving disposition. Still, even she had to admit that her whims had gotten others in trouble over the years. In the past, she had put more than one person at risk. Jumping blindly into battle, fists swinging and temper burning hot like an inferno. At her best, she was a whimsical sort of person, at her worst she was a force of nature.

Even still, she never had a plan. She was more than happy to let fate take her wherever it wanted. At first she justified it as rebellion. Then, as a good thing. Finally, she admitted to herself that she didn't want to get her hopes up. No plans meant no dreams. No dreams meant less disappointment. No one else to let her down.

It just so happened that she had gotten married and settled down in Atlas. That was just the way that life took her. She wasn't going to question it. Instead, she accepted every day as it came. Yang Xiao Long lived with an unmade bed, dusty knickknacks, and a husband who was much more interested in having a compelling spouse than a homemaker.

It was a good thing too, because Yang lived in a constant state of disarray.

The blonde cursed under her breath as she dug through a pile of dirty laundry. The keys to her motorcycle had gone missing. She scavenged through the pockets of everything crumpled up on the machine until she found them. When she found her keys she just tossed them onto the kitchen counter without a care. Then, she shoved all of the laundry in the machine at the same time. She wasn't going to bother sorting it. The dishwasher was slowly piling with rinsed dishes, but she didn't hurry to run that, either.

Her growling stomach was much more interested in the protein shake sitting in the blender. She poured it into her glass before doing anything else.

Yatsuhashi's large shirt dwarfed her as she walked through her home barefoot. His shirt and a pair of panties were the only things keeping her modest. With her shake in hand she sipped it long and slow, glancing around, trying to find the first place to start. She made her way to the bedroom, that would have to be first. After a week of putting it off, she was finally getting around to cleaning it. She blasted music in her ears while putting away their other clothes. She hummed while disposing of the litter in their trashcan beside the bed, grimacing at the contents.

If anyone saw the state of their bedroom, they probably would have jumped to the worst conclusions. A small fortune of used condoms in the trashcan, two empty liquor bottles, and numerous snack wrappers cluttered the corner. An outsider would think they survived on a junk food diet. Yang sighed, plucking one of the chocolate wrappers at the bottom on the can. It was boring to catch up on the housework, but somebody had to do it…

* * *

Yang was no more dressed that afternoon. In fact, one might argue she was even more indecent than before. Fresh from the shower and no bra of which to speak of, her long hair cascaded down her back in damp waves of gold. Another grey shirt from her husband's drawer and a clean pair of panties did absolutely nothing for her modesty, even when faced with a visitor.

"How very becoming." Velvet said with a smirk.

"Glad you think so." Yang shrugged.

The Faunus could only roll her eyes, pushing passed the cheeky blonde. "It's a good thing Coco didn't see you in that get-up." In one hand she carried the best chicken salad that Atlas had to offer. In the other she carried several black garment bags with her. "In her mind that sort of fashion statement has only one use."

"I'm going to be a glorified dress-up doll after we eat anyway." Yang said, closing the door behind her. "What's the point of getting dressed if I'm just going to have to undress over and over again?"

"Touché…" Velvet said, carefully laying the garments down across the nearest sofa. Then she carried their lunch into the open kitchen area.

"So, how are we going to do this?" Yang asked, pulling down clean plates from the cupboard.

"It's simple really. You're going to try on the clothes in the bags. If they fit correctly, I'm going to take a few photos for Coco to look over." Velvet went for the glasses, filling them both with water from the fridge. "It shouldn't take very long."

"So I really am just a dress-up doll then."

"Coco will want your honest opinion too." Velvet corrected, her long ears bobbing of their own accord. "Even if you have nothing but negative things to say, those clothes are prototypes. If you have complaints, she'd want to know about them."

"Okay…" Yang trailed off dubiously. "Doubt I'll have to do anything like that, though. Coco doesn't make crappy clothes."

"She's never made an entire line with dust sewn into the fabric, either." Velvet replied, taking both of the glasses to the small table in the corner of the kitchen. She sat down with one leg crossing over the other as Yang finished plating the salad. "She doesn't show it, but I can tell she's worried that her new line won't be up to the usual Adel standard."

"Isn't Weiss endorsing the whole damn thing?"

"On paper, yes. She's providing the dust at a discount too. All in all, I can't complain about her involvement."

"There's a 'but' someplace in all of that." Yang said, sensing that there was an issue. It seemed to nag at the Faunus, no matter how small it might be. "You want to rant about it, don't you?"

"I wouldn't want to speak poorly of a friend." Velvet told her. "Especially when that friend is your former teammate."

"Oh, you're free to rant all you want."

"No, really, I shouldn't."

"Velvet, relax. I know how Weiss can get. There's nothing you could really say that would shock me."

"I know, Yang, but even so..."

"When it comes to that company of hers, even Weiss knows she can be a total bitch sometimes." Yang said with an easygoing laugh. "She doesn't make apologies for it. Why should I? Hell, I don't even understand half of the stuff she does all day."

That rabbit Faunus sighed, ears drooping. "Behind the scenes, Weiss doesn't involve herself in Coco's new combat line. She only provides the dust. I know that worries Coco, and to be honest, it worries me as well. Even with the discount, Coco's paying a lot of money. She wants the best dust money can buy, so it's turned into a very expensive proposition."

"Ah, I catch your drift." Yang said, stabbing a chicken onto her fork for a quick taste. "Since Weiss isn't more involved, you think she probably doesn't have any faith in what Coco's doing."

"She's never been so…" Velvet fumbled looking for the right word. Her effort failing her. "She's just so withdrawn, Yang. That isn't like her. At least, not about the dust business."

"Weiss knows dust like the back of her hand. She doesn't know a damn thing about making clothes." Yang said with a smirk. "When she isn't good at something she avoids it like the plague. She's been that way since I've known her. I had to teach her how to sew a button back onto her uniform at Beacon. She stabbed right into her thumb with the sewing needle. She didn't have her semblance active, and left a bloody thumbprint on her white Beacon shirt."

"She didn't know how to sew a button…" Velvet looked to Yang in disbelief. "In Beacon, really? Our clothes barely survived a week, let alone a school year."

"Yeah, no kidding. She never did learn how to do it. Before Beacon she had maids. Now she still had Klein do it, I think." Yang shrugged. "Anyway, she was so mortified that she just kept buying new uniforms on her credit card. Finally I just felt so bad for her that I ended up doing all of the repairs on her clothes while we were in school. I had to fix mine most of the time, so hers weren't exactly a problem."

"Dust enhanced clothing certainly makes a world of difference in that regard." Velvet murmured then. "I was so happy in senior year when we didn't have to wear our uniforms anymore."

"Yeah, no kidding. There's not enough clothing out there for semblances like mine." Yang finally sat down at the table, both plates fill with salad and utensils in hand. She passed off one set to Velvet. "I'm fine day-to-day, but I can't wear anything into combat that'll catch fire."

At this Velvet offered a genuine smile. "It's amazing what a little dust can do, but, it's also very difficult to work with."

Yang knew how true that statement was, murmuring as much through a mouthful of her meal. Their small talk was companionable at best, but the undercurrent between them wasn't nearly as innocent. Velvet had an attraction to vivacious women. Yang was certainly full of life on the dullest of days. Flirty for the sake of it, carefree whenever her overtures were turned down. The implication in the air between them certainly wasn't romantic, but neither of them could deny that they found physical gratification pleasurable enough.

It was something Velvet delighted in. She felt an impossibly smooth leg brush up against her own. It was a pleasurable thing for the both of them. Yang caressed the black thigh-highs, and the firm long legs beneath the too-thin fabric. Velvet was entirely too worried about things beyond her control, and Yang saw fit to amend that. A little distraction was in order, her actions growing bolder beneath the table.

"How much you want to bet Coco's riding Yatsuhashi on her desk as we speak." Yang said with a grin that was downright filthy.

Velvet's own amusement, somewhat shy, pulled at her lips. "What makes you say that? He's not one to have sex in the office."

"I gave him my blessing and the last condom we had in the drawer." At Velvet's curious glance, Yang just shrugged, pushing some of her blond hair over her shoulder. "It's shark week, so he's not getting anything from me besides the occasional blowjob. That's not his favorite way, though, so weeks like this are kind of a dry spell for him. He'll be like putty in her hands for sure."

"A quick shot too, if that's the case." Velvet tilted her head for Yang to close the distance between them.

"Give my guy a break, will ya?" She whispered against Velvet's lips. "It's not his fault Coco's just that good."

The kiss was slow, unrushed and aimless, both women pulling away before it got too deep. It was nice, but, it was also unrelentingly shallow. The two of them met eye-to-eye. Velvet quietly cleared her throat, a stuttering breath making it all the more difficult.

"So, shark week..." Velvet murmured, watching as Yang nodded gently. "Drat."

"Yep." Yang agreed under her breath. "So, yeah. I'll take a raincheck on the casual encounter. If you wanna hang around after we're done with the whole outfit thing, I'd totally be up for some cheesy rom-coms and make-outs though. Yatsuhashi said he'd be late, and I could really use a cuddle buddy."

"Sounds good to me." Velvet said quietly, more than delighted with Yang's offer. "I just have to let Coco and Fix know."

* * *

The next day, Yatsuhashi didn't go into the office to help Coco. Instead, he busied himself with his own project.

Yang watched as her husband spent his time sketching.

The musclebound Yatsuhashi Daichi was the quiet bookish type. He spent his time studying old texts on the art of war, history, and government. When his nose wasn't pressed to a book, he was often honing his own skill in combat. Yang never could understand his fixation on politics, but she didn't linger long enough on the topic either. His study was probably the cleanest room in the house, a single bookcase and desk free from clutter allowing him to harbor his musings in peace.

He locked himself away for hours. Sometimes doing nothing more than glaring at a blank piece of paper. Pencil in hand, he'd sit to flesh out his memories as vividly as he could.

His drawings of Grimm were fearsome, his sketches of carnage a haunting whisper that a huntsman's job was never done. When Velvet traveled in order to launch her name into the photography world, Yatsuhashi often went with her. He committed himself to putting those same horrors onto paper. For him, they were personal ruminations. Grievances he couldn't find the words to speak about even if he wanted to. Yang didn't question the journeys he went on with Velvet, his personal relationships with the members of team CFVY were as important as they were ambiguous, and that was just fine with her.

Whatever physical gratification he received from them remained strictly that. For Yatsuhashi, spoken word was often lost to the ashes of his past and the unknowns of his future.

Yang's comfortable life was his nightmare, and she knew it.

She stood from her place beside the desk and leaned over him, arms draping around his broad shoulders. "You're tense." She observed, feeling it in his posture. The way he carried himself and the fixation on his drawing was enough to tell her all that she needed to know. The mug of tea had gone untouched, the man was in his own little world. It had long gone cold.

"Not so." He said softly, red colored pencil shading in the eyes of a four legged beast. The ursa Grimm was massive, rearing up on its haunches atop a hill. The otherwise scenic image was what Yang expected out of the small villages. Plenty of them dotted the southern coasts of Vale. Aside from the occasional Grimm, they were a peaceful places where forests met the deep blue of the sea. "I'm just working diligently."

"Doubt it." Yang said, fingers tapping a small rhythm across his chest. "You were zoning out."

"I was lost within concentration."

"Oh, yeah? I don't buy that for a second."

"I must prepare." He spoke with an unflinching neutrality. Both immune to the events that Velvet had captured in photos, and tarnished by them all the same. "Coco is hosting another one of her charity events. Velvet's photos will be framed and sold to the highest bidder. Coco asked me to provide some sketches as well."

"Oh crap, Yatsu, you didn't actually agree to go, did you?"

He didn't look up from his drawing. "I did."

"That means I'm going to have to go now too." Yang groaned, resting her forehead on his shoulder. "I hate those stupid charity galas, they're always so full of assholes."

"I didn't have the heart to decline." Yatsuhashi admitted under his breath before clearing his throat. "If my art is there as well it will take some of the attention off of Velvet."

"You big softy." Yang teased, only to feel him sag with the mental fatigue.

"Not all of us can be social butterflies."

"True, but Velvet's not exactly a wall flower, either."

"No, she isn't, thankfully." It wasn't enough to placate his uncertainty. "Even so, I sympathize. I'm not very fond of these events either."

Yang nodded ever so slightly. Yatsuhashi had a natural talent for the arts that his parents cultivated when he was a young boy. They weren't very pleased that he had squandered his talent. When he became a huntsman, he willingly accepted the negative associations that came along with the profession. His large size and weapon of choice painted him out to be a thoughtless brute. There were many times such a thought had been to his advantage. Now that he no longer took missions, those that knew of him spoke of his days as a huntsman for better and for worse.

It was the same for all of them, not even Weiss could escape the reputation of her old ambition.

Yang didn't want to think about it. Her family was one long list of failures in the hunter's profession. Bloodline was an omen she refused to consider. If she did, what would Ruby's fate be? Worse yet, what of her own? The blonde pushed it out of her mind. It could only poison her thoughts the longer it lingered there.

"You've been at this a long time." She said, her hand reaching down to slow his wrist. Coaxing the pencil out of his grasp, she felt him sigh as he leaned back against the chair. "Maybe you should take a break."

"Should I?" He reached for another colored pencil, but Yang stopped him. "What would you have me do?" He asked when he felt her grip tighten slightly. A wordless refusal to allow him to continue.

"Fold clothes, go for a jog, grab dinner, or if you're feeling pent-up ask me for a blowjob…" Yang trailed off dryly, hiding a scowl by burying her lips into the nape of his neck. "I don't care what you do, so long as you leave that damn sketchbook alone."

He looked up to the clock, several hours had ticked away slowly. The only sign of his guilt was the way he closed his book, fingertips curling into a fist atop the hard cover. He tapped at it a few times before placing it away in the drawer. He took his time rolling up the leather pencil holder that kept the tools of his craft safe on long journeys. "I would prefer something a bit more intimate." He replied then.

"Yeah, I figured that." Yang muttered. "I'm still on the red."

"I don't particularly mind." He said. "I've bought more condoms, and the shower is large enough for the both of us."

"I know it's happened before, but, I'm just not feeling it right now." Yang said, this time with a small laugh.

"Perhaps I should meditate, then."

"You sure?" she asked. "I'm good for getting you off, if you want. You're the only dude I know who actually turns down oral sex most of the time. You don't have to, ya know."

"While I find the act pleasurable, it also lacks the connection that I prefer. It would be best to meditate so that I can clear my head." He stated as he slowly stood up. He loathed the feeling of Yang sliding away from his shoulders as he moved. He knew it was a long-shot, but he still hoped that she might take up the hobby herself. "I have the spare mat in the closet. You could join me if you wish."

"Not my jam. You do that, and I'll deal with food." She said, leaning up to give him a slow and lingering kiss. It was the kind he enjoyed the most, a small consolation for the lack of intimacy he craved from her at that exact moment. When she pulled away she noticed his expression had softened considerably. "On the topic of dinner though, we're out of decent groceries. We have to either order out from someplace, or call for a pizza."

"I'll let you decide."

The image of the trashcan flashed in her mind. Maybe they had been a little too lazy, recently. "Vegan it is. I'll go to the place down the block and grab the usual."

* * *

Yang's friendships with rest of team CFVY were a mixed bag.

She was emotionally closest to Velvet, finding a bond in the Faunus she hadn't quite expected. They shared a lot of the same core values, and spent plenty of time together. The rabbit Faunus was a gentle soul at heart, and a terror in combat. Her ability to photograph and fight with almost any weapon made her adaptable. Yang harbored deep respect for the subdued woman, and the ease of their friendship helped to fill the void of boredom that accompanied a life married to a man like Yatsuhashi.

Fox was just fun to be around. He was cocky and standoffish, more than happy to keep to himself. Yang got along with him because she wasn't easily offended by his nature. He was an amusing person, rough around the edges and happy to be that way. They shared insults out of habit. Their shared sexual gratification came as a rivalry. While she certainly wouldn't consider Fox her best friend, she supported the deeply seeded bonds he kept with Yatsuhashi. Her own connection with Fox was just as unique, and something she would never find anywhere else.

Coco was team CFVY's leader back in the day, and she was the one that Yang had known the longest. The fashionista had acquired a soft spot for Ruby back in Beacon. They had a shared love of complicated weaponry, and a responsibility to look after their fellow teammates. Coco had mentored the young leader to navigate the complex social problems that came with the heavy burden. Yang had gotten to know Coco first through the gaze of her silver eyed younger sister, and then through the lens of Yatsuhashi himself.

Now, she knew Coco Adel as a person, their vices the selfsame. They were both slightly vain, and somewhat selfish. She found her outlet in Coco. Liquor was the greatest equalizer between the two women, a bond that came from a complex mix of the people around them. If it weren't for the influence of others, they probably would have bypassed each other without a second thought.

"A sleepover, huh…" Coco said, twirling her lowball glass filled with amber liquid. "Haven't done one of those in months. I've been so busy I haven't been thinking about bedroom frolics."

"Yeah, I was thinking that last night after dinner. Yatsu's been a little restless recently, and Velvet seems like she could blow off a little steam too."

"Oh?" Coco cocked her brow, tipping back her amber liquid. "Why do you say that?"

"Cause it sounds like Weiss hasn't been the most supportive when it comes to helping out with your new line." Yang said, eyeing the glass her own hand. "She knows you're worried about it. I guess that's stressing Velvet out more than she wants to admit."

"That's just business." Coco scoffed. "Weiss always plays new deals like this close to the chest."

"Even for a friend?"

"Especially for a friend." Coco pulled off her glasses, scowling at Yang as though the blond were crazy. Then she sighed, realizing the blonde had no clue. "Listen, the Schnee Dust Company wouldn't be the industry titian otherwise. If she took every business contract at face value, she'd lose her ass."

"Yeah, but you're reliable..."

"Doesn't matter." Coco shot back. "I don't plan to screw Weiss over or anything like that. However, this is an experimental venture. Weiss would be an idiot to jump in with both feet."

"Is it the money?" Yang asked.

Coco shook her head. "In the long run, the money is totally negligible. If my new line fails, it could make her entire company look bad. They might blame my failures on low quality dust, and Weiss would take a heavy hit in her other business dealings. Trust me, business is just business. That's not the problem I've been dealing with."

"So, there is a problem with Weiss then…" Yang said, catching on. "If she has a stick up her ass about something, I can go pull it out…"

Coco doubled over, hand slapping on the table with a rough laugh. "It's not a stick it's a while god-damned forest." She managed to bring the glass to her lips again, snickering through her sip. Then she grinned unrepentantly. "It has absolutely nothing to do with my fashion line, though. Honestly, it has nothing to do with me at all. She's just been coming to me for advice. Apparently, I know something you don't…"

"Do I want to know?" Yang asked, refilling Coco's glass.

"I don't know, you might be too close to this one for comfort." Coco replied, her grin falling to something more serene. "It's not my problem to tell, anyway. What I _will_ say is that it does concern me. If Velvet thinks I'm bothered by something, it's because I am. Weiss is a good friend, and right now she's navigating a very complex and personal issue."

"If it's that bad, why doesn't she ask for help?"

Coco placed her glass down onto the table and sat back in her chair. "Like I said, Yang, you're just too close. If you want to snoop around, just tread lightly... That's all I'm going to say."


	10. Chapter 10

**AYangThang:** My niece a nephew are coming up from Texas for a prolonged visit with the family. They will be staying with me. It'll be for a little over a month (June 4th-July 10th). When it comes to fan fiction there will be fewer updates during this time. I'm not quite sure of the frequency. The normal Monday schedule will resume once they go back to Texas.

***Oh, also, there's a bit of a dark start to this chapter. It lightens up though.***

**Chapter 10**  
**Blake: The Atlesian Way Part 5**

Could she really live happily cooped up inside the kingdom's walls? She didn't know.

She held a heavy title as a licensed hunter. The job was a mixed bag of assumptions, both good and bad. Huntsmen, huntresses, vagabonds, wanderers, addicts, survivors.

There was a lot of fun out on the road. Self-discovery itself could be a test a virtue. There could be adventure at every turn. Good friends and meaningful memories. Experiences never found within kingdom walls. It wasn't all glory, though. There were a lot of hard times too. Blistered feet and empty bellies. Rain made mud and the sun could be scorching hot.

More importantly, life as a huntress had a lot of complicated truths.

Backwards logics were sometimes the only comfort she'd find at the edge of that hell. A huntress had to accept some level of isolation. Some measure of withdrawn cynicism. Hope was often distant. Any moral-high ground needed to be lost to the whims of baser desires. She had regrets, revisiting several of them in the realm of her nightmares.

How often had she put dying villagers to rest? How many agonized screams had she silenced in a single bullet when no other help would come? She had lost count. Any hunter that did her type of work would see more than their fair share of carnage. Ruby had insisted on doing the dirtiest of the tasks. Culling Grimm infestations down quadrant by quadrant, searching desperately for survivors in fallen villages.

Reports from these remote locations sometimes wouldn't come in until weeks after the attack. Survivors huddling corners in masses, the dead rotting in the streets. It was an ugly job, sickening to the core more often than not. Yet, it had been Ruby's plan from the start. To help people. That's why she was a huntress. Simply, to help people. That's why they went to every dismantled village. To be there. To help, in whatever manner that they could.

Those that could be saved, were. Those couldn't, they had two options. Fight for life until their dying breath, or have their lives taken swiftly. They'd be buried with the rest of the dead in a mass grave. When the treatments were handed out as best as they could be, Yang and Weiss had always found less gruesome jobs. They patrolled for Grimm, and aided those with lesser injuries.

Both women turned a blind eye to the sights beyond their abilities.

Yang was better suited to fighting off Grimm and empowering healthy villages. Weiss was born to rebuild suffering economies, securing farmlands and trade routes. They weren't made to venture into the hell-scape of a fallen homeland. They couldn't fathom death as a desire. They couldn't imagine loss on such a large scale. They couldn't be of any help, either. Couldn't cure, but, couldn't kill. That sense of worthlessness was crippling. No one could truly blame them for looking away.

Ruby had been the dark horse. The sight was something Blake had drilled into her mind, she could never get over it.

Hands covered in blood, clothes dripping in bile, and silver eyes stained with tears. Ruby coaxed the ailing to fight with everything they had left in them. Begging them to fight until there was nothing left. Hope for Ruby came in the form of seemingly impossibly victory. Of beating the odds, no matter how dire. Although she would plead, even she was not cruel enough to force them to fight a losing battle.

Blake wished she had even half of Ruby's conviction, but at the end of the day, the facts were indisputable.

Her hands were always cleaner, her clothing was less dirty. It was her conscience that became sullied beyond belief. The logic was simple. How they each reached it might have been different. She wasn't entirely sure. She was afraid to ask, and Ruby never spoke of it. In the end, though, both women concluded the same backwards truth.

If an ailing person was so sick or injured that they could not be saved… If that person was too far gone to recover… They would, if asked, bring that person peace… They would lift their weapon, fire a shot, and bury another soul with the rest of the lost villagers.

Life inside the kingdom's fortified walls were a small piece of heaven compared to all of that.

If she put down her weapon now, it would mean putting down the responsibility of holding another life in her hands. It would mean knowingly forsaking countless people who called for aid. Never again meeting them face-to-face. Never offering all of the tenderness and mercy she _could_ provide. It would mean setting aside the backwards logics that she had grown so used to.

She would need to think like a civilian, finding new ways to conceptualize the darkness of this world. Building new ways to cope.

Blake had to wonder, could she really live a life like that? She just didn't know.

* * *

A brief hour between meetings could hardly be considered long enough for a lunch date. It was laughable, but Weiss had insisted on taking a meal together. Clearing her schedule on this absolutely frigid afternoon hadn't been too difficult, either.

The Faunus and Schnee sat together at a small table in the corner. The remains of a meager looking lunch sat on trays between them. Tomato soup and a few hunks of bread was the cheapest meal that this Schnee Dust Company food court had on the menu for the workers. On this all too chilly day, many of the office workers had the same idea. Several of them abandoned the posh eateries in higher levels of the building. Their bellies in favor of something hardy and warm.

With frost caking the windows, it was the perfect day for sitting down with a hot bowl of soup.

Weiss had carefully selected this menu, one of the few echoes left from her days as a huntress. Traveling the world as she did, she knew what sorts filling meals could be made cheaply. Those were the types served here. Low cost and affordable on the lowest floor, where every lien mattered. It was made for the entry level interns and the blue collar workers traveling from the mines.

Soups and stews, portages and pies, hard breads and aged cheese. These were the meals taken communally, both on the road, and on the poverty line.

Weiss placed her empty bowl aside, ignoring the dull roar on the other side of the room. Confused murmurs reaching her ears, and so she knew they were reaching Blake's too. Her employees outright avoided to table. Choosing not even to bypass the small sitting space. Instead, they watched from afar. Weiss sighed unhappily as they gawked at Blake. Only a select few would sit with a Schnee. Fewer still would even think to do so within the basement level food court.

As a general rule, Weiss never took her lunch here. Today she made the allowance to prove a point.

Blake stood out among the swell of workers, Faunus and humans alike. Weiss ignored that surprised glances as best as she could, but she felt them burning into her back all the same. They'd be attracting this sort of unwanted attention for months, perhaps even years. Blake would have to get used to it, and do it quickly.

"So, as you can see, underwater mines are the wave of the future." Weiss explained as she showed Blake her newest plans for the company, a crash course in underwater mining. "The benefits outweigh the risk. We've already begun establishing ourselves along the coasts of every major kingdom."

"I'd be willing to bet the kingdoms aren't too happy about that…" Blake said as she looked over the detailed map that Weiss had provided.

"Mistral and Vacuo were eager to have mines in nearby waters. Atlas already had footholds on Anima for years. It made sense for Mistral to work with the SDC willingly. Vacuo might not be a fan of Atlas politically speaking, but, that's not a problem for me. The Schnee Dust Company has been free to roam Sanus as we please."

"Why isn't that a problem?" Blake cocked her head quizzically. "The dust company is almost directly tied to the military. You'd think they'd have a massive issue with it."

"The wealthy people of Vacuo value bloodline." Weiss explained slowly. "Ada is at least their kin by half. A viable candidate for future arranged marriages. They see her the same way Atlesian bluebloods do. She's a possible future matriarch, and her father hails from their kingdom. It places her on a higher priority than just another rich outsider."

Blake felt her ear flick against her will. "That's just sick."

"It's just the way things are." Weiss said, although this time her lips thinned out into a tight line. The thought was unsettling, perhaps even a little sinister. "You know, Blake, it's not just Ada."

"You too?" Blake said, jumping to the nearest conclusion she could.

"Yes, as to be expected." Weiss nodded slowly. "It's not just me, either. Rather, it's the way the wealthy view women of a certain class." She could feel Blake's well contained annoyance from across the table. She could see the amber eyes that threatened to slit catlike with each blink. Another token of the Faunus blood in Blake's veins. "Vacuo's upper-crust are just as bad as those born here in Atlas. It's a blessing and a curse."

"Sounds like just a curse." Blake grumbled, her feline appendages slipping further down atop her head.

"It works both ways." Weiss remarked evenly. "Ever since my marriage to Nolan, I've never had a dispute with Vacuo. Since my divorce, I'm also eligible to get married once again. I receive offers from men and women across the kingdoms daily."

"Ah, I guess that makes sense." Blake said, her voice a little uneven at the thought of having to fight with others over Weiss. "What about Vale?"

"The wealthy in Vale have no economic reason to court me, There's no political gain from me, either. For that, they'd have to marry Winter. As for the underwater mines, they'd want easier access to dust just like everyone else." Weiss said as she began to fold up the map. It took some time to put away the large, crinkled black and white paper. "Honestly, the Kingdoms haven't been any trouble. It's been the rulers beyond the kingdoms that have proven difficult."

"What other places could you possibly want to mine?"

"For one example, the bordering waters around Menagerie." Weiss told her, pointing to the location on the map. A dainty finger circling the area. "So long as Menagerie continues to be an independent island, I can't get my hands on any of it without the chieftain's permission." She then folded that area over too, closing away the image and setting her plans aside. "You can take a wild guess as to how well that's going to go."

"It's not my dad who'd have the problem with it." Blake said, watching that black and white island disappear between the folds of the paper until the long rectangle had become small enough to fit into the black leather briefcase at their feet. "It's the islanders who would really start a fight about it." She said, watching Weiss disappear beneath the table for a moment to put the map away.

"Make no mistake about your father. I may hold him in high regard, however, Ghira Belladonna does not play well with the Schnee Dust Company. He never has, and I doubt he ever will." Weiss scoffed, popping back up from her hiding place a moment later. Fingers sinking into her strands of white hair, she carefully pushed it behind her shoulders so it could cascade down her back properly. "You can thank history for that. I'm sure my father made dust acquisition a total nightmare before I inherited the company."

Blake sat there awkwardly, unsure of what she could say about that. Her anger at the insipid little island grew. It was equal to the disappointment she felt at her father. A man who should be leading his people for the better. Weiss instantly noticed her discomfort, mirroring it.

"Perhaps that's too heavy a topic." Weiss murmured. "Let's speak about something a little closer to home, shall we?"

"Like what?" Blake rasped.

"Like us, I suppose." Weiss affixed her blue eyed gaze to amber. She watched the woman across from her nod, that slight tilt of her head something to slowly drink in. "I owe you some type of answer. I believe I've kept you waiting long enough."

"It hasn't really been that long." Blake said honestly, even if every hour that ticked by felt like a lifetime. Every day ongoing seemed like an eternity. "You asked for some time, so you should take it. I want you to be sure."

"I'd be able to think for the rest of my life. I'd still come up short." She said mildly. "Blake, I'm not the most amorous person, you realize."

"That honestly doesn't bother me." Blake said somewhat shyly.

"It should."

"Maybe."

Weiss could only close her eyes and sigh. "There are personal things about me which you will inevitably come to understand as time goes on. However, I still feel it's important to tell you that I'm not an easy person to date. I have high standards, and even higher expectations that those standards be met. It's not just because I'm a perfectionist, it's because the alternatives are often..._unpleasant_. It's often safer to come off as insipid and untouchable than it is to appear too kind."

"You don't have to warn me about things I already know about." Blake said, finding the smirk across her lips to difficult to subdue. "You have an image, I know that. I also know that image isn't half as true as you want it to be."

"Yet, it is true in many ways that I'm sure you will come to hate." Weiss murmured. "I've taken your feelings into consideration very seriously. My own aren't as clear to me. I just don't know how to feel about you. There's a lot of history between us, Blake. That muddies the water more than I care to admit."

"Well, maybe I can help clear it up, somehow..." The Faunus offered hopefully.

"If only it were so simple." Weiss said, knowing she had to be honest. She still wasn't entirely sure how she felt about the woman in front of her. Then again, navigating her feelings were never her strong suit. "You're more than just a suitor for me, Blake. You're a friend, and that matters. I've been thinking a lot about this… About us…"

She trailed off, finding her eyes flicking away from the Faunus that had held her stare.

"Weiss, we don't-"

"Hush and let me finish." Weiss bit out, her teeth clicking shut when the tone of her own voice reached her ears. She sighed, shoulders slumping heavily in remorse. She didn't look up to see Blake's expression. Part of her didn't want to. "I still think that a relationship with you is an inherently bad idea. Strictly by virtue of who we are, I..." Weiss paused again, fighting with the words on the tip of her tongue.

Blake waited silently, her expression urging Weiss to say more.

"It won't be easy..." She admitted darkly. "Building a life together is going to be difficult." When she saw Blake's hope begin to fade out of the corner of her eye, it was too much to take. She faced Blake fully again, this time pulling her lower lip between her teeth. "I'd be lying, though, if I said I wasn't interested."

But what did that mean, really?

Among the dull roar of the workers surrounding them, Blake realized that Weiss was waiting for some type of comfort. Her blue eyes rattled ever so slightly, silent and uncertain. Her hesitancy all but dripping off of her.

"But, you _are_ interested, aren't you?" Blake asked, needing to find the confirmation she felt like she missed.

"Against my better judgement, yes, I am." Weiss said quietly. "However, I also stand by what I said before. I'm going to ask you one more time, Blake. Are you absolutely sure that this is what you want?"

Yes…

It was…

Blake had even murmured as much against the ringing alarm that called the end to the lunchtime rush. Those on a fixed schedule hurried off to the elevators and underground railways to continue their afternoon. The wave of onlookers slowly tapering off as more people exited the seating area. The loud eatery had instantly gone quiet.

Too quiet.

Enough so that her sensitive ears could pick up the faint breath of the woman across from her.

"If you're sure…" Weiss said slowly before picking up her scroll and pressing a few buttons. "You're going to need a suitable wardrobe for social settings, Velvet can help you with that. Then you'll need an adequate residence." Weiss looked up from her scroll, seeing Blake's confusion. "You'll need a place to host afternoon teatime, and other minor gatherings. I'll have Klein acquire a list of suitable apartments. We can look at them together if you'd like…"

"We're really doing this, aren't we?" Blake finally asked, voice mystified.

Weiss felt her breath catch. The scroll was heavy in her hand, blinking with Coco's reply. Her thumb unable to retrieve the message as she let Blake's words sink in. "Yes." She finally managed, more surprised than she wanted to admit. "I suppose we are…"

* * *

Blake departed shortly after the ringing of the afternoon bell. Weiss saw her off, shooing her down the street towards an Adel building only a few blocks away. She had been completely serious about Blake acquiring some new clothes, and doing it quickly.

Just as Velvet promised, she was waiting for Blake to arrive. Measuring tape in hand, Velvet went to work. She measured once, twice, and then a third time for good measure. She took down careful notes, sending Coco all of the measurements the woman would need. In return, she promised to put together several ball gowns and two tuxedos. As Velvet put the tape away, Blake thought the worst of it was over, but she had been very wrong.

Velvet had plans far exceeding Blake's imagination. Rows of clothes on racks waited to be sorted though, and that was just the beginning…

She gathered what she thought to be an impressive selection. Two power suits, one black and one white. Formal. Two skirt suits, one grey and one cream. Business casual. Two dresses, one midnight blue and the other a rich mauve. Formal. Two tea dresses, one black and one white. Casual.

She was going to be dating Weiss Schnee. Their first official outing as a couple would be later in the week. Blake thought about her selections over and over again. She hoped that Weiss would approve of them, even while Velvet pressed another hanger to her chest.

"Try that on next." The rabbit Faunus ordered gently, her accent drifting delicately from between her lips. "I'll find you a blouse to go with it."

"Do I really need more clothes?" Blake asked, holding the normal looking black pair of slacks.

"Yes, you do." Velvet replied, sifting through an entire rack of green and blue shirts. "Coco's never had a client starting from scratch before…" She paused at a blue one, pulling it from the rack and holding it up. Then she put it away again.

"I've got eight new outfits already, and you said Coco was making more." Blake complained as she watched Velvet fuss over another shirt, this one a wavy aqua color. "Just how many new outfits are you going to have me choose?"

"Weiss said you needed a wardrobe. Therefore, you are going to get a wardrobe." Velvet reiterated, pushing Blake back behind the curtain to undress and try on the slacks still in her hands. "I assume you haven't amassed any attire for living within the kingdoms, but she's right. You can't just live in the same handful of outfits."

"I can't afford an entire closet full of clothes. I'm just a huntress!"

"Don't be ridiculous. Who said you're paying for anything?" Velvet asked, hands on her hips.

Her question was an abrasive one, lingering for far too long. Blake roughly pulled the curtain back and glared at her friend. Clad in only her bra and the black slacks she'd been given a moment before. "Velvet, how much did she pay you?"

The woman merely tossed a vibrant green shirt in Blake's face. "Get dressed."

"Damn it, Velvet I mean it." Blake grumbled fighting her way through the silky green fabric. "How much did Weiss pay you?"

"She isn't paying a cent for these, and neither are you. These are hand-me-downs from my closets back home." Velvet said as she turned back to the sea of clothing in front of her. "Once they're properly fitted to your body, it won't matter."

"They look new." Blake shot back, fisting the green material in her hand, transfixed by how soft and inviting it was. Then she put it on and buttoned it up. The bold color was striking against her fair skin. "You can't just give me new clothes Velvet."

"They'll waste away in the closet otherwise. There are very few outfits I'll wear more than once or twice." Velvet stated, grabbing a low cut black vest and sliding it over Blake's shoulders. "There, see you clean up well…"

"I don't know about this…"

"The outfit?"

"The whole thing." Blake said. "Look at me. I've never worn designer clothing in my life."

"It's an adjustment, sure. It takes some getting used to." Velvet said, grabbing more pairs of slacks and making a pile at Blake's feet. "I'm mated to a fashion superstar. I can't be seen in the same outfit more than a few times. Even with yearly donations, my closets still end up getting stuffed to the brim. This isn't even half of what I own. These are only the conservative pieces."

"Yeah, but Coco drags you out everywhere." Blake muttered as quietly as she could under her breath. There was no way that Velvet didn't hear the offhanded comment, not with her long ears giving her an advantage. "I can't imagine I'd be leaving the house all that often…"

"You'd be surprised." Velvet sighed at length. "Blake, listen, you're stepping into a shark tank. There are only a handful of Faunus among Atlesian elite. All of them either married or mated into their wealth. We're seen as outsiders. Looking the part can go a long way in keeping things civil at social gatherings. Your weapon was your protection out in the wilds. The way you flaunt your money is your protection among rich people."

"I don't _have _any money to flaunt. I thought friends were supposed to comfort each other." Blake murmured darkly. "Not try to make each other paranoid."

"You have wealthy friends, and your reputation as a huntress. That's as good as money, sometimes even better. You'll be fine, you just have to be realistic." She said, tossing a few trendy sets of jeans Blake's way. Finally she was satisfied with the offered assortment at Blake's feet. "You're getting several Adel originals, too, since that's what Weiss ordered. However, those are for the up-coming balls and charity events. If you're going to be seen out in public with Weiss, you can't just keep wearing your field gear. You need proper attire."

Blake looked down, frowning at the small mountain of clothes as she dragged them all in the booth and closed the curtain. "Weiss doesn't re-do her wardrobe every year, does she?"

"She doesn't have to." Velvet said with a laugh. "She's in the dust industry, not fashion. As long as she looks the part, it doesn't matter what she wears. Honestly, it drives Coco nuts. Weiss never admits it, but I think she wears the same suit to every Adel meeting just to harass her…"

Blake just sighed, rolling with the punches. "This is my life now…" She muttered, looking down at all the clothes.

"You think that's bad? After this we're going downtown with the charge card to get you some new shoes…"

"Velvet!"

"It's as you said. This is your life now." The rabbit Faunus replied insistently. "You'll just have to get used to it."


	11. Chapter 11

**AYangThang: **Obviously I've been gone for a while, enjoying time with my niece and nephew. As a reminder they will be staying with me until July 10th. After that, updates will continue as normal.

I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Chapter 11: Weiss: The Atlesian Way Part 6**

The future promised to be a hard one ahead, difficult conversations forming every turn. Still, she needed to have them, and do it soon. Part of her decision came in the form of self-preservation, and the other came in the form of backwards loyalty. Private business matters now threatened to spill over into her private life. She could have kept them concealed. In fact, logically, it might be better that way.

It certainly wasn't any of her responsibility to educate Blake on topics that generally wouldn't leave the confines of a conference room. Then again, to keep the matter from her would only lead to awkwardness later. If it were anyone else, the thought would be a non-issue. Weiss wouldn't have considered it.

However it was Blake, and that made a world of difference.

That defining detail swayed the carefully thought out position. It was just enough to leverage Weiss into a decision. So, Weiss called her, inviting Blake to the office the next afternoon. The Faunus eagerly agreed, making a dry quip about showing off part of her new wardrobe. Weiss had been unsure how quickly Blake would take to the new attire that had been given to her.

Untailored as most of it was, Blake still managed to look quite fetching the next day.

A slender pencil skirt that sat just above the knee. A matching blouse suited the business casual upper-crust that would inhabit the top levels of many SDC offices. Her black hair drifted down her shoulders pleasantly enough, a touch of make-up highlighting her eyes, which were one of her best features. Sun kissed long legs were covered modestly by black pantyhose, a set of heels clacking across the marbled floor.

There was an ambitious spark beneath the intent, and Weiss felt her mouth go dry just thinking about it.

If things went according to plan, typically, Blake's position would be in the home. Carefully entertaining the shark pool of other high profile spouses. Seeing her now, it was hard to imagine such a thing remotely possible. The way her intellect shimmered behind her eyes was maddening enough. It made Weiss bite her lip. Just the mere concept that Blake could give up her life as a huntress…that alone seemed unfathomable. Especially now, when she looked ready for a mission in espionage, not a companionable afternoon within the confines of the corporate office.

Weiss found a struggle in forming words.

This might have been her idea, but, that didn't make the taller woman in front of her any less intimidating. Like a fish out of water, even simply breathing became harder by the moment. "You're late." She murmured lightly when everything else would seem trite in comparison. "Punctuality is of utmost importance, especially during my workday."

"Tell that to the fine people of Atlas." Blake responded, grasping at the small talk for all that it might be worth. "The traffic was horrible, and Yang was driving. We left with plenty of time to spare. At least that's what we thought."

"You were on the back of her bike, in _that_?" Weiss asked, her eyes widening imperceptibly. Her shock only known to those who could be able to notice the slight difference in her stance. The blonde was a speed demon by every measure, and Bumblebee itself was a contraption that Weiss had very little experience with.

A smile played on Blake's lips. "You make it sound like it's impossible."

"It sounds like a sight to see." Weiss shot back, averting her eyes and clearing her throat. The mental image her mind conjured up was something akin to sidesaddle. Not only did that seemed completely impossible, she would think the bike would become unstable. Sighing gently, she cleared her head. There was obviously something more practical she overlooked. "In any case, I'm glad that you could make it. I have a meeting to attend, but I've left some files on my desk. If you wish to look over them, I think you'll find the information perfectly insightful."

"Well, a glance couldn't hurt." Blake said with a shrug, but Weiss only frowned.

"We'll see about that, I suppose." Weiss murmured then.

"Is it more about the underwater mines?" Blake asked when the woman in front of her seemed so tense.

"It's nothing so simple." Weiss replied, licking her lips and steeling herself against the wave of anxiety she felt. "You wanted to know about your father. Those documents will tell you everything that you want to know."

"My father..."

Weiss saw the way that Faunus ears twitched, and didn't miss the quick blink of disbelief. She pushed through Blake's moment of surprise. She couldn't let the woman's mind wander too far into the void. "If you want to read them, now would be your best chance. I'll be back when I'm finished with Coco. I wish I could reschedule, but this is just too important to mishandle. We're finalizing the dust quality for Coco's new line. I've invited her to inspect the samples for herself. As I said before though, it shouldn't take too long."

Blake glanced around the large room. Being left along inside was unsettling. "I'll be waiting here, then."

"Yes, you will." Weiss managed to say, feeling a little guilty that the ticking clock was not on her side today. It never seemed to be. She hated that. As she made her way to the door, she glanced back to Blake. A compliment was in order, she decided. Something to ease the mounting tension she could see filling those amber eyes. It couldn't be empty, either, like so many other things were. It needed to have weight. It needed to be tangible. Most of all, it needed to be honest.

Honesty itself, for Weiss at least, had always been a lonely thing.

What could she say to make Blake smile? Her first thought sprang to mind. It didn't seem enough, but, it would have to be. "You look quite fetching, you know." Weiss allowed herself to say in almost a whisper. "Dressed like that, I mean."

Blake blushed deeply, lost for words when Weiss very nearly slammed the door behind her. A small flush of pink barely touching her cheeks when the compliment left her mouth. Left to the silence of the large SDC office, Blake took hold of the first folder waiting for her and began to read.

* * *

Blake deserved to know the truth. At least, that's what she told herself as she continued to read every page.

About her people…

About Menagerie…

About her father's position…

And the sins of the Schnee Dust Company…

She deserved to know all if it as intimately as Weiss did.

The files were a gateway into all of it. A snapshot of the past and its many lies. Sprinklings of half-truths made everything bitter. There was a lot of dealings between the Schnee Dust Company and Ghira Belladonna himself. The Belladonna line was long and storied. Before Ghira there were his uncles, father, and grandfather before him. Before Menagerie itself, there were countless other Faunus whose fates were twined deeply within the company.

All of it rested as a historical record.

Some of it was hard to swallow down as truth. Most of it concealed facts that Blake had learned of before. The White Fang and Beacon took to teaching Faunus history very seriously. Of course, there were things that Blake had assumed, but had no proof of. Not until the record of those events were in front of her, lingering on those yellowed pages. They were undeniable. Reasons drifting wordlessly between every name on the dotted line. Blake would never know why so many had sold their souls.

Part of her never wanted to know, either.

Signatures she recognized were penned across those dotted lines. Official court rulings drenched the company in every sin. Notarized documentation of freed Faunus that had trickled out from slavery over the years painted the company in a brighter hue. A fuller picture of the volatile wars that followed for each of the kingdoms lay in front of her. Following history into the world she had grown up in, turning pages further, it guided her into today.

A question reached her mind at the end of the long paper trail. It was hard to ask. "Weiss, do you two get along?"

"Ghira and I?" Weiss asked, looking up from the work in front of her. It could wait.

"Yes." Blake asked as she closed the folder. "Do you?"

The white haired woman blinked at such an odd question. She should have been expecting it, and yet, it seemed so strange to hear. It was a difficult question to find the words for. "It's not a simple yes or no answer." She gently cleared her throat. "We don't have that luxury anymore." Weiss finally admitted. "We don't see eye to eye on many things, and it's made something of a rift between us. I wouldn't say that we hate each other, but, we stand on different sides. It's unavoidable."

"Why?" Blake asked, her ears drooping ever so slightly. "What happened?"

"The company happened." Weiss said dryly. "You've seen the evidence, Blake. That's all there is to say about it."

"But why?" Blake asked. "It doesn't make any sense. You haven't done anything wrong."

"Not yet, but, I could." Weiss told her. "When I was a mere huntress, I wasn't a threat to the livelihood of his people. You said that I was a good person, and that was good enough for him."

"And it's not anymore?" Blake shook her head. "That just doesn't make any sense to me. You two used to spend hours talking about all sorts of things jut a few years ago."

"A few years is all it takes." Weiss said, realizing for the first time that Blake wouldn't look at her and see a villain. Perhaps, for the sake of argument, she should have. For whatever reason, Blake couldn't. The Faunus was in too deep, and that made the truth so much harder to explain. "There was a time he could take me at face value. Now, I'm the owner of a company that could easily destroy the fragile existence they have."

"That's ridiculous…"

"He's right to be worried." Weiss shot back. "The only reason Menagerie can exist is because if the company. My grandfather gave Menagerie dust. He set it up carefully. A monthly charitable donation, tax deductible. It was only supposed to last until the island became established. My father used the island as an excuse for publicity, so he kept giving once he inherited the company. The more he gave, the more he could excuse away what he was doing to his employees."

"That's completely disgusting…" Blake growled under her breath. "And once my dad became the chieftain, he actually agreed to continue accepting dust like that?"

"He didn't exactly have a choice…"

"Weiss, that can't be true."

"It is, and humans are to blame for that. More aptly, my father and the Atlesian council are to blame for it." Weiss said coolly. "The island can't afford to purchase the dust they require. The cost of the shipments would be too high. My father wanted it that way. The donations were supposed to end once my father stepped down. However, I saw no reason to discontinue them. Especially once I found out that Menagerie would never be able to afford purchasing the dust directly."

"Those idiots on the island don't even care, do they?" The Faunus asked hotly. "They don't give a damn that they're living carefree. Meanwhile other Faunus end up dead in the mines because of them. Those were filthy donations, and they took them anyway."

"They're not filthy anymore…" Weiss said, unsure of why the anger in those amber eyes hurt so much to see. She wanted to soothe it away, but she didn't know how. "I would never intentionally harm Menagerie, Blake. Never, but, that doesn't change the fact that I have the power to do so. Your father knows that."

The Faunus just growled low and under her breath. She was at a complete loss for words. It surprised her then, when a cool hand fell over hers. Gently pleading to ease the death grip that Blake had affixed to the armchair.

"The Faunus never had a choice." Weiss urged softly, thumb brushing over Blake's knuckles. Mapping out the anxiety and the anger that quaked from within. "When it came to stepping down from the White Fang, neither did your father. You need to know that. For generations, it was either Menagerie or nothing. His generation was no different."

"I refuse to believe that. There's always a choice, Weiss. That's one of the founding principles of the White Fang. We've always stood by that. Even when the White Fang turned violent, that principle didn't go away."

"What choice did your people really have, Blake?" Weiss asked then. "The kingdoms would have exterminated the entirety of your race the moment they felt threatened again. My Grandfather would have supplied the armaments willingly, and you saw those records. He wouldn't have hesitated, not even for a second. War made him money. He might have been considered enlightened for his time, but he was still a slave to his own greed."

"But to think that the Faunus of that era would cower in spite of that...That even years down the line, my own father would cower..."

For Blake, it was a dark stain on her pride as a Faunus. Old and angry wounds, emotional and physical, making for a potent sort of poison. Blake's own toxic history reminding her of just how flawed the White Fang had been in their thinking. How twisted Blake had once been in hers. The Faunus felt burning in her amber eyes, a sting she wasn't completely unused to.

For Weiss, reclaimed guilt bubbled to the surface. Seeing those clear tears lingering at the edges of Blake's eyes, wet and unyielding, called to the surface memories of her own youth. A childhood filled with misguided hate, and a father who fanned those flames by twisting his three children against each other from the start.

The paperwork was just a version of the truth, emotion and intent ripped away from the events. The players involved, nothing more than shadows of the men that they knew. Without those key details, the events themselves had done a grave disservice to the history both women had come to understand.

"When the wars were done, Menagerie offered an uneasy peace." Weiss finally told Blake. "Years later, the White Fang lifted up from the ashes to continue those peaceful proceedings. Your father held influence in the White Fang. Eventually, he was making strides as a leader, Blake. He was making changes, but, he was slow in making them. You know what happened after that, you were there…"

Blake knew, but she refused to say it.

Coldly, and perhaps with just a hint of cruelty, Weiss continued to speak. Continued to air out everything that Blake's own guilty soul wanted to forget. "The White Fang wanted him out. He stepped down and took the only position of power that he could. As the Chieftain of Menagerie, he can do what the white Fang can't. He can speak to the ears leading the kingdoms directly. The problem is, now he doesn't have any choice but to play the same games that I do. That means playing damage control. It's just the way it is."

"What damage could you actually do, Weiss?" Blake said, nearly barking a laugh as she pushed those unshed tears from her eyes.

"All I'd need to do refuse is to give them anymore dust."

"You wouldn't do that!"

"That doesn't matter. The lives of thousands are his responsibility." Weiss said. "Refined dust wouldn't last a month. First the power would dry up. Then, water treatment would shut down. The communications tower would drop. The medical center wouldn't be able to perform complex surgery. Eventually ammunition would run out. Crude dust might get them by for a while, primitive weapons might hold the line, but that would go away too."

Blake hissed between her teeth. Thinking about that made her recall all of the villages that just didn't stand a chance without dust. Her voice spoke the awful truth aloud. "So, they'd either have to leave before that happened. Either that, or take their chances against the Grimm and the elements…"

"A total evacuation would require the aid of the kingdoms, and they'd probably be split up for citizenship between Vale and Vacuo. Atlas would never think to take them in, and our political ties with Mistral would keep Faunus from mass settling there." Weiss went on to say. "Even if Menagerie could find a new dust supply someplace, they'd never be able to pay for it. I'm the only chance they have. No other company has the manpower or the recourses to donate such a large amount of dust to an island the size of Menagerie."

"Why didn't he ever tell me?"

"You want nothing to do with that island, so why would he?" Weiss simply shrugged. "This isn't your burden to bear."

* * *

Weiss once again offered Blake a way out. To end this relationship of theirs before it truly began in earnest. The offer was sound, but the Faunus refused to take it.

Amber eyes found their resolve. A fire burned there anew, and it was something that Weiss couldn't simply disregard. Blake was taller than her, sleek and powerful. Her years of continued hunting molding Blake's body deliciously. Womanly curves hiding her raw power well. Power that Weiss became intimately aware of when amber eyes became almost catlike. Blake surged forward with a hot and heavy kiss that nearly crumpled the both of them.

Brazen talk turned very real in that moment. Weiss could feel it bone deep. Tangible to all five of her senses, limited as they were compared to Blake's own.

For all that Weiss could have planned, she could not have anticipated that. The sudden feel of Blake's lips on her own had been intoxicating. The pressing of their bodies together through layers of fabric had called to a deeply buried need. The length of the kiss itself had been exhilarating, ludicrously happening in in her own office of all places.

It was all too much, and her own fumbling had been awkward as hell.

Blake's self-satisfied smirk soothed away the cold annoyance that Weiss couldn't conceal when they broke away. In the end, Blake's mood had been uplifted considerably. Meanwhile, Weiss felt her own mood begin to drift.

She hated the insipid way she handled her emotions. When they unnerved her so greatly, she couldn't help but withdraw into herself. It was an easy pattern to fall into, slipping into the mindset like a second skin. It was a vice Blake would simply have to get used to, but Weiss prayed the Faunus wouldn't learn to hate it.

It would have been easier to live in a constant state of denial. Yet, with Blake's heart in her hands, Weiss couldn't do that either. Not with the way Blake's kiss had lingered on her lips in an electric way. Irrefutably enjoyable. Undeniably addicting. It would be a memory to haunt her thoughts even hours after it was over. She could only pray it didn't creep into her dreams as well.

She had arranged a first date that was suitable for her lifestyle, doing her best to find ways to accommodate Blake's simplistic joys. The sushi restaurant was the easy choice, but what came after would be much harder. Weiss had searched a great deal for solutions, and yet so few things would appeal to the both of them. Frankly, Weiss had no desire to do anything beyond a meal at all. Previous suitors had done nothing more than try to worm their way into her bed.

Weiss hated to admit it, but, if they were to take the evening beyond the distance of a good meal, things _could_ happen…

She tossed that wayward though aside the moment it bubbled into her brain. Her logic knew better. Knowing that Blake would never do something so risky. Not this early. Not while everything was still so fragile. Still, Weiss felt an edge of concern cloud her mind. Old habits and atlesian expectation burned its way into her thoughts. There was only one person she knew that had so willingly defied the Schnee Family name, and had done it successfully.

Besides that, Winter deserved to know about the woman slowly carving her way into the block of ice Weiss had for a heart.

"It's just so crazy to me. One moment she's one of my dearest friends, and the next she's..." Weiss trailed off, biting back a sigh. "Anyway, I don't know what to do about all of this." She leaned over her martini, gazing down into the untouched liquid and hating herself for it. "Why is dating the only area of my life that makes me feel so inept?"

"Likely because we weren't raised to do such a thing." Her elder sister posed. "We were raised to abide by the men in our lives. We've only been seen as respectable if we were doing as we were told. Obviously setting out on our own the way we did put something of a strain in Father's plans. Functional co-dependence isn't something you can just conjure up at whim."

"Which is why you're still single." Weiss jibed under her breath, but, Winter merely shrugged.

"So it is." The woman agreed softly. "To be honest, I'm still trying to get over the fact that you're courting a woman."

"Courting is a rather strong descriptor, don't you think?" Weiss replied then.

"Perhaps…"

The two women let the conversation slowly die a quiet death as they sipped their drinks. The younger of the two still feeling the ball of anxiety roll around in her gut. Winter expected a lot from her siblings, and Weiss had always tried to live up those expectations. She had failed those endeavors many times, suffering the disappointed glances Winter would offer in return. She had no idea how Winter might react to the truth. Now that it was out, Weiss could only wait and find out.

"Weiss, were you ever interested in men at all?" Winter finally found herself asking when the silence grew to be too much.

"I was never completely disinterested." She answered softly. "There were certainly a few handsome boys at the academies. They managed to get my attention. It just didn't happen to go anywhere."

"And when it came to women?"

"It never crossed my mind…"

"Not once?"

"You mean to tell me than it crossed yours?" Weiss shot back when the too casual question irked her. She expected something like that out of one of her friends, or at least a crude acquaintances. She had not expected it from her older sister.

"Most certainly not." Winter protested dryly. "Even if it did, I wouldn't amuse the notion in the slightest."

"So, if a respected peer came onto you, you would completely reject them? You'd cast the thought from your mind instantly, correct?" Weiss asked then. "You wouldn't at least consider the situation on its own merits?"

Winter found her own shoulders slouching ever so slightly at the weighted question. "It has never happened, therefore, I have no experience from which to draw an answer from."

"I was once like you. The mere concept was an insult. At the very least, it was idiocy. Still, when Blake finally did approach me, well…" Weiss paused, choking back her words. She took a moment, glancing to her sister. It was now or never. "I found that I could not completely reject the thought of it."

"Obviously, or else you would have." Winter retorted. "That much is certain."

"Is it?" The younger sister said slowly. "I wonder... It's strange, Winter. Truly. I keep trying to ask myself why I allowed this to happen. Deep down, I know that I didn't want to reject her, either." Weiss admitted then. She twiddled with her fingers beneath the bar, unseen, but obviously distracted. "I am not completely disinterested in Blake when I think of her as a suitor. If that is apt enough a qualifier for most men, then shouldn't it be the same for most women?"

Winter didn't have an answer, the scowl upon her face was cold. The meticulous way she took a breath and counted the passing moments seemed to be explanation enough.

"You're disappointed in me, aren't you?" Weiss asked.

"No, Weiss, you could never be a disappointment purely for whom you choose to date." Winter said, managing to offer a lilt of gentleness in her tone. "I'm not displeased with you. If anything I'm a little bit worried. Father will be outraged, but surely you know that…"

Weiss could only nod.

"So long as you're careful, that's all I can hope for." With a little bit of effort, Winter schooled her features into something more neutral. "Frankly, what you do in your private life isn't any of my business." She explained with her typical aloofness, only the smallest hint of a frown betraying her. Concern still edging into her gaze. "You have always been the softest of the three of us, Weiss. The most easily upset and quickest to anger. Growing up, it made good sense to me that my beloved middle sibling would be the black sheep. You've always done your best to defy our father in every way possible. What's one more defiance in the grand scheme?"

"I don't know, Winter, and that terrifies me."

"You'll be fine, dear sister." Winter said. She fished out her credit card from the thin wallet she kept in the breast pocket of her coat. "After all, what do you really have to lose?"

Everything...

She could lose everything. Or so her paranoid mind whispered as she hunched over her untouched martini.

Idly, she lifted her fingers up to her lips. The kiss still fresh in her mind. Full of need, and unimaginable desire.

Maybe she was being just a little foolish. Winter was probably right.

Or so she hoped.


	12. Chapter 12

**AYangThang: **See you Next Monday.

**Chapter 12 Yatsuhashi: The Humble Soul**

"I just don't think it's a good idea." He heard Blake Belladonna voice sadly out in the living room. "I'm not good with kids, Yang. I never have been, and I probably never will be."

"You'll be fine." Yang chuckled in that soft way that he was so fond of. It caressed his ears gently, and he sure that out in the living room it had felt the same for Blake.

"Will I? Will Weiss? I think I'm actually getting in over my head, here." Blake muttered dubiously, he could catch the fleeting shake of her voice. Uneasy, and coiled tightly. "I'm a complete and total disaster waiting to happen when it comes to this kind of thing."

"But it's what you want, right?"

"Yes, but-"

"Nope!" Yang seemed to bowl over Blake's fears over. "No if's, and's, or but's about any of this. You wanted a chance, you got one. Don't waste it just because you're a little paranoid that something's going to mess up and go wrong."

"I just don't want anyone to get hurt."

Yatsuhashi pulls in a breath, the drawing in front of him completely forgotten as he looks back towards his door, opened only a crack. A sliver of light coming though.

"Hurt happens, get used to it. You think my dad wasn't a shit show too?" He hears the honesty in Yang's voice. A gentleness beneath the harsh criticism of the man who raised her. "Looking back, he was a total idiot sometimes. It didn't matter though. He did the best he could, and I have to respect that. He gave Ruby and I a good childhood, all things considered."

"He was your dad, Yang. I'm different, an outside her. She doesn't need me. Neither of them do, not really."

"Well, that's subjective as hell." In that, he found himself smirking. Trust his wife to cut to the core of a problem like a battering ram. Delicacy forgone entirely. He listened to her sigh, a fondness for her teammate coloring the statement that followed it. "If you want to be part of her life, then just be part of it. If you don't, then don't. Whatever you decide to do though, don't start this wishy-washy bullshit only to fuck off later. No kid needs that kind of shitty platitude, and frankly, Weiss doesn't need it either."

"Yeah, I know." Blake grumbles under her breath. "Don't remind me. I keep myself up half of the night just thinking about that."

From the confines of his office he sets his pencil down, sighing as he comes to his own conclusion on the subject. There are many dilemmas among the people in his life, many that he can't do anything about. More often than not, he has no insight to give, and no helpful alternative to offer. However, in this delicate matter, he feels an ounce of insight.

Decision made, he decides to interrupt the conversation taking place in the next room. He clears his throat as two sets of eyes fix onto him as he stands in the doorway. "You two are complicating a very simple matter." He states while rubbing his eyes. It ebbs away the near headache the two of them had given him. "In my old village, in order to raise a boy into a man, others with worldly experience must guide him. The boy learns that to become a master of anything, one must seek training to gain that mastery. Aren't women inside the kingdoms raised to think roughly the same way?"

"Well, yeah…" Yang deadpans, the confusion clear in her tone. "I mean, unless you're raised by a total asshole or something…"

"Then the answer is quite simple." He said, affixing Blake with a knowing look. "A little training is all you need. Approach this endeavor with the same resolve as you would an assigned mission. Gain the experience you obviously need in this area of your life using the same fortitude that has guided you thus far. For a huntress such as yourself, that should be easy enough."

Blake flinched, ears flattening back as she nodded. Perhaps it would not be so easy for her after all.

* * *

The next day promised to be a busy one.

He marched along the halls in the Schnee Dust Company building. His steps lingering a few paces behind Coco. That's how she liked it. He never thought to question Coco's demands. She never gave him a reason to think poorly of them. Even with all of her flaws, and her occasionally failed plans, she was worth following. There rested an honesty in her commands, easy to uphold simply because they were hers. Even laying the title of team leader behind didn't diminish the sort of person that Coco was.

To a fault, she would be the first to place herself in the line of danger. A true thread of dignity twined itself deeply into everything she did. She valued loyalty above honor. Coco spent years proving that honor itself was a vague nothingness without people to share it with.

Boyishly, he had found a cause in simply following her, doing as he was told. For reasons he couldn't completely understand, that alone was enough.

She had given him a place to belong. For Coco, it just seemed like the natural thing to do. It wasn't because of an imposed team assignment, or the Beacon Academy rules. Coco didn't play by the laws. She subverted them, following only what her heart told her to do. Everything else came with a brutal and critical eye for corruption. It's what made her one of the top team leaders within Beacon. A plaque of team CFVY would hang in the walls for generations to come. That was an accomplishment very few teams would ever have the privilege to brag about.

But, as cocky as Coco could be, she never said a word about it.

There were many things Coco never spoke about. Wordlessly taking pride in her accomplishments. Carrying a silent thankfulness for the people that surrounded her. She was a physical creature in many ways, both in happiness and in anger. She was as quick to give a slap on the behind for praise. She was also just as fast with a smack to the back of the head in admonishment. He'd felt both in passing over the years, always knowing exactly where he stood in Coco's mind.

For all of her complexity, her treatment of him had always been simple. He'd never had a single doubt, and within a world so devoid of faith, Coco had become a bedrock of comfort. He could believe in her, if little else.

During these meetings at the SDC, he never spoke unless he was addressed. Acting as the large and imposing bodyguard that he was expected to be. He stood outside the conference room for well over an hour. Never sitting, and never once allowing his expression to relax. Coco conducted her business quickly, a sure sign than Weiss had a busy day and could not entertain her friend. He heard the murmurs behind the thick oak door, the slight laughter and off-color jibe as Coco opened the door and exited the room.

She began to walk down the hall, again and he stepped into line at his usual pace. Idly, he wished all of the people in his life were as easy to comprehend. Alas, that was a luxury he would never have.

* * *

After a meeting at the Schnee Dust Company, Coco headed home. Her word demanding privacy.

He knew nothing of fashion, merely parroting what Coco told him to do. He had no concept of the industry, and frankly, he had no desire to learn it. That was Coco's mastery, and he was more than happy to let her have it. All he could do was follow along as he was told, wordlessly offering moral support when the complexities of the fashion industry became too much to bear.

"How's the artwork coming along? You'll have all of the pieces done by the night of the ball, won't you?" Coco asked him, her mind running over everything she would need to get done before the scheduled event took place. The mounting list seemed endless, and most of it would be up to fate. Completely out of her control. Now she needed to trust competent people to help see the rest through to the end. She could only hope that it would be enough.

"I believe so." He said, watching as the mug of coffee shook in Coco's hand. "I only need to have a few more pieces. Aside from the trip to Vale, I already have some ideas in mind."

"As long as they get done." She brought the coffee to her lip, wincing at the pain. Finally she sighed, setting the cup down. "I'm counting on you, big guy."

There were times he would doubt himself, but in this, he was sure. "I know. They will be done and prepared for sale by then. I promise."

"Alright." Coco said as she began to wrap a brace around her aching wrist. She was depriving herself of sleep, and sewing everything by hand was beginning to take its toll.

"You should take it easy." He murmured, frowning when he realized she wouldn't stop for a second.

"I don't have time." At this, she turned to Velvet. "Velvet, sort through your worktable. Find me suitable samples for Blake. Something that'll compliment her eyes."

"On it." the rabbit Faunus said, closing down her scroll to do as Coco had asked.

"The ratio should be ten percent dust to ninety percent Mistrali silk." Coco replied, tossing aside another sample of fabric as it fell to Yatsuhashi's feet. He sighed as he picked it back up, considering it.

"Is there something wrong with this one?" He asked confused.

"That's twenty percent red dust. It's just not going to work for Blake."

"What would happen work, then?" He asked in confusion. Lifting another piece. They all looked the same to him. Just squares of cloth that fueled Coco's ire.

"Not that." She said, taking the black swatch from his hand. "Black silk, twelve percent earth dust. That's for combat lining. It's not for a ball gown." Her worktable was littered with her usual choices, but nothing seemed to catch her eye. "It needs to pop, and stick out among everyone at this ball. Weiss isn't paying me to deliver complete garbage to Blake's front door."

"Wouldn't it be better to choose Atlesian silk, then?" Velvet asked, her own pile covering another worktable. "Something like this, maybe?"

Coco took one look at the pure white silk, the thin material was some of the most expensive to acquire. "Do I look like a sob to you?"

"Yes, but that's because you are a snob, at least when it comes to fabrics." Velvet said honestly with a small grin.

"Won't argue that, babe." Coco shrugged, tossing aside another. "Either way, something like that just doesn't suit Blake."

"Not to put too fine a point in the matter, but, I don't think anything will." Velvet sighed. "Nothing at your price point, anyway."

"Extravagance doesn't suit her, is that it?" Coco asked Velvet then, crossing her arms to regard the woman in front of her. "I might agree, but that's pretty damn moot at this point. She won't have a choice in the matter, not if she's hoping to actually get anywhere with Weiss. I'm going to have her dressed to the nines even if it kills me."

"Do you really think so little of them?" Velvet asked softly. "They're our friends, and besides that… we're hardly in a position to judge."

"I'm not judging anything, babe. I'm merely fulfilling a request from a buyer who just so happens to be a Schnee." Coco said as she placed her fabric aside, walking across the room to Velvet's table. "Weiss isn't so different from me. We have expectations, and they have to be met. There's no question about that. The Schnee family is incredibly prestigious. If Blake wants a piece of that, she's going to have to live the part. Besides, if I can get her gown just right, she'll be the talk of the ball, and it'll have nothing to do with her ears."

"What will it have to do with?" Velvet asked.

"Now don't you worry about that." She said, kissing Velvet on the cheek before. "You just find me a perfect combination Mistrali silk, and let me worry about the rest."

Yatsuhashi looked down at the white fabric laying on the edge of Velvet's table. It was true, the Schnee family were a household name. Few could consider Weiss a friend so easy because of her fame. The thought had boggled him, but, it had also given him an idea. One that he quickly wanted to enact.

* * *

He spent another afternoon with his sketchbook in hand. Today he inhabited a home that was not his own. He looked up from his artwork, blinking once more at delicate features of the woman he was drawing. She didn't seem to notice or mind what he was doing. The two of them sharing companionable silence.

Weiss sat hunched over a laundry basket, folding her daughter's clothes. They were fresh out of the dryer, warm and wafting with the smell of cotton. Yang was in the kitchen, Ada happily clinging onto the blonde's back as the two of them collected ingredients to make lunch. Yang had always been oddly domestic, maternal in all of the ways that captivated small children.

Yatsuhashi went back to his drawing. Going to work as soon as Weiss lifted out another small vest.

This one was black. A gift from Nolan from when he was deep in the heart of Vacuo. Most who traveled recognized the tourist trap for what it was. During long journeys it was a common stop. Yatsuhashi recalled the emblem well. He suspected Weiss did the same. It was one of the few places with real feather pillows and proper meal spreads. Her lips quirked at what seemed to be a memory, and Yatsuhashi paused his drawing. Waiting for Weiss to relax her expression into something neutral.

A clatter in the kitchen, and a burst of giggling later, whatever had been upended onto the floor seemed to be a non-issue. Still, Weiss let curiosity reign supreme. Laundry set aside, she headed for the kitchen where her daughter instantly demurred. Pink eyes gazing to her shyly, as if she might actually be in trouble. Yang was bent over, cleaning up the mess. Weiss could only roll her eyes as she returned to the Livingroom. Her own task couldn't be left incomplete.

"You aren't going to try to sell that sketch of yours, are you?" She asked as she resumed fishing out garments one by one.

"It would sell quickly at Coco's upcoming event." He said. "I would like to place it there."

"As flattered as I am that you think my image would sell at an Adel event, I doubt you'd have many buyers."

"Sketches are meant to capture moments in time." He said to her slowly, as if considering that truth once more for himself. "They attract a particular sort of person. The kind that tends to be interested in the little details that go unnoticed. This image would easily sell to a person like that."

"Yes, because folding laundry is suddenly so interesting…" Weiss noted with dark sarcasm. An ounce of bitterness coloring her words. "If anything, bluebloods will be amused only because I'll look matronly. Anyone too high in stature may actually be insulted than I'm doing a servant's work."

"I think people will find it interesting. You are an icon, and therefore it is collectible." He replied, setting down his pencil and holding the sketchbook out to her. "This entire book is of you."

Weiss frowned, finding the thought highly unsettling as she took the book from him and began at page one. "You've been drawing me for that long?" She asked, noticing that the first sketch was of a lunchroom table, Weiss and Ruby were seated at one side. Jaune and Pyrrha took residence on the other. The next page had to have been drawn that same year, probably during exams. Weiss sat side by side with her teammates, the only one still studying at the late hour. The rest of her team napping around the table. "This goes all the way back to my first year at Beacon."

"I used to draw whatever was in front of me at the time." Yatsuhashi explained, a distant fondness creeping into his voice. "It helped me come to terms with my choices in life. Many of them were not supported by my family. Drawing itself became an escape." Clearing his throat gently, he tossed the thought aside. "Your table was often across from ours, and within my direct line of sight."

There were many drawings, several were of her formative years within Beacon. Most were mundane snippets of her life. A morning cup of coffee, a jog on the treadmill, an image of her cleaning the dust residue out of her fingernails. Moments she often took for granted at the time. Her third year had only a few drawings, proof that Team CFVY rarely visited Beacon by that time. Her fourth year had only two. One in a hunter's lodge, and one on her graduation day.

The drawings tapered off after that. A single sketch here and there dotting her years on the road. Her appearance seemed rough, more unkempt. A sign of how harsh the paths outside of the kingdoms could be. Though she was happy, the jobs were hard too. Leaving ghosts and shadows in her smile. Failures themselves harder to let go of when lives were on the line. After her wedding day, the sketches began to cluster back up again. Several even managed to capture her pregnancy when she least expected it. Several taking place at public events. Others included her daughter as an infant.

"I suspect I'm not the only one you have a book dedicated to." She said with a voice thick with old memories. Deep down, she prayed that she wasn't some sort of enigma for the man in front of her. She didn't want to be anyone's fascination, most certainly not the man in front of her.

"Everyone of significance has a book or two." Yatsuhashi replied. "Some of those books have only a few pages filled. Then there are the books I travel with. Those do not contain a single category. They are somewhat personal."

"Will you sell the whole book?"

"No, it is mine." He said softly. "I've carefully protected it for years. I wouldn't offer it away now. However, with your permission, I was thinking to make a colored printout of this image. I would like to have you place an autograph on it. There are many collectors that would like a piece such as that. If not for themselves, then to pass along to others."

"I don't see any harm in it." She replied as she handed back the book. She had written her name across thousands of posters over the years when her father had forced her to sing. What was one more autograph for the masses? She was already a household name, and that wouldn't change. The best she could do was accept her fame. "Will you be placing images of other people to be sold off as well?"

"Most are of landscapes, Grimm, and villages." He listed slowly, ticking off the items on his fingers. "Those are the types that often sell to wealthy land owners. Most would never step foot outside of the kingdoms, but as you know, many with money speak as though they have."

"Well, it's rare to doubt a person of such high standing." Weiss said, though her lips had formed a curved edge. A mean sort of smile, almost a sneer. She knew the sort that Yatsuhashi spoke of. In her mind, it was the worst kind of person. The sort like her father, and others like him. Men and women who held lives in the palms of their hands. People who refused to accept the gravity of that prestigious responsibility. Even thinking about it made her sick. "Thankfully, no one dares to lie to me that way. I have no qualms explaining to them just how many ways they could die. I've seen plenty of them."

"A sentiment you share with Coco." Yatsuhashi said, having witnessed such lectures himself. "There will be a few other portraits, too. Most of them contain Coco in some capacity or another. I was trying to think of a way add a little variety."

"Hmm, if that's the case, you really should ask Winter to pose for a sketch." Weiss replied then. "Perhaps out of uniform. Standing side-by-side in the combat ring with Yang. It's such a rare sight outside of the military. A sketch like that would be sure to sell to a high bidder."

"I was unaware that it was such a rare sight to behold." He replied then, cocking his head curiously. "She stops by out of uniform very often."

"The upper class only murmurs about what Winter does in her free time. In order to see it, they'd actually have to share the same space as commoners. For most of them, even suggesting something so uncouth would be an insult. That's the catch. If they refuse to fraternize with the common people, they'd never have the opportunity to see Winter's hobbies for themselves. Having an artistic rendering would be very rare."

"It is something to consider then." He said, more to himself than to Weiss. His eyes catching Yang's as she walked into the room to offer a new distraction.

"Hey guys." She said with two plates in her hand. "Food's ready, come on."

They shared lunch and dinner together, which wasn't uncommon. The sideways glances from Weiss certainly were though.

Life on the road taught him how to read other people. Listening to older hunters and huntresses, he had found his own perspective about the world early. Love and loss were two lessons that stuck with him. The older folks who had no one to go home to, and the ones who did. They were both very similar. There was one commonality between every story. The hard work. The dedication. The devotion. Every successful love story held plenty of those things. Every failure seemed to lack them. Love made upon a bed of lies would not sustain. Love comprised for the sake of it, would be fated to weaken with every single setback.

It took a great deal more to keep love alive than anyone might expect. Despite that, it was also very simple.

He didn't miss the way that Weiss observed him and his wife. Blue eyes catching glimpses of a relationship that was so completely unique. Whatever similarities Weiss might relate to was lost to him. Just as the contours of his love for Yang were lost to Weiss. He thought for a moment it might be because he was a man, and she was a woman. That somehow, that obvious difference itself made her confusion what it was. He quickly tossed the consideration aside a moment later.

Whatever it was that sparked the curious glances, gender performance was most certainly _not_ the cause.

After dinner, would lead to another clue.

"Yang tells me you'll be going to Vale soon." Weiss said to him, a steaming cup of tea firmly in hand.

"That is the plan." He confirmed in a soft tone. "Velvet intends to capture more photos before Coco's charity ball. It will be a short trip."

"I would imagine that Yang's going with you…"

He allowed a non-committal sound to ebb from his throat. Low and thoughtful. "I believe we will part ways once the plane lands. Velvet and I will collect what we need. Yang will take time for respite in Patch."

"To see Ruby and the baby no doubt." She said.

He nodded wordlessly.

"She does like to live vicariously." Weiss agreed, a fond sigh slipping from her lips. "I realize that I was expected to bear offspring the moment that I married, but, it surprises me to think that I've not yet heard an announcement about the two of you. I thought for sure that Yang would want to begin a family before Ruby. Now, it seems like only a matter of time."

The man raised an eyebrow, his own cup dwarfed by his large hands as he sipped from it. He thought on that statement, plucking it apart for what it was. He squinted up at the setting sun before returning his gaze to the snowman that Yang had promised to help Ada build. A calming breath through his nose, and he was no closer to discerning the way Weiss regarded him. He noticed her anxiety, her thoughtfulness. The way she seemed to scrutinize everything, as if comparing it to something else.

Inadequacy came to mind, and it resonated deeply within him. Seeing such a thing shadowed in her every expression, he found himself smiling gently.

"You and I are not too dissimilar. At least, not when it comes to the expectations laid down before us."

"We aren't?" She asked dryly. "You were a village boy, weren't you?"

"I was, but, my father was the headman." He told her.

"I see... That could prove to be a stressful upbringing, couldn't it?"

"Yes. My father still expects me to bear at least one son. The village I hail from is old. He is very set in his ways. In his mind, a daughter would never be able to carry the name. It must be a man." He said stiffly. "Yang, on the other hand, she's different. She doesn't have such responsibilities in her family. I do not think she cares much for the concept of bloodline. The ties she binds are different, drastically so."

"Her father is very progressive, I'll give him that." Weiss said with a laugh.

"That is not what I mean." The man beside her didn't quite share her humor. Instead, he was compelled to withdraw into retrospection. "Lineage is not a concept of genetics to Yang. Rather, they are the teachings left behind. Legacy holds a different power when placed within her hands. It is not traditional, and it has nothing to do with procreation."

"And what about you?" Weiss found herself asking curiously.

"I no longer live in my father's village." He said quietly, a tiny hint of shame coloring his words. "I am a disappointment to him, and I chose to be one. I let him down willingly. However, I think that in some ways, that it only proves his success in raising me. He instilled within me enough strength to forge my own path. I feel that gift alone is enough."

"I don't think it's enough at all." Weiss told him. "In fact, I think it's the very least he could do. If you couldn't stand on your own two feet, you'd be no better than a puppet. That would have made him worse than a failure."

"I wouldn't know. I'd like to think Yang's methods are better than my own." He murmured under his breath. It was with this that he turned to Weiss and carefully placed down his cup. He felt a drop of clarity in that moment. Feeling as though he understood Weiss Schnee just a fraction more than he had before. "I do not know if Yang and I will decide to leave behind a genetic legacy. What I do know is that even if we don't, it won't matter. Her influence will touch a great many souls as we live our lives. Perhaps that will be enough."

After a moment Weiss nodded her head, gazing across the snow covered yard to the snowman still being built. It was a memory that Ada wouldn't be likely to forget any time soon, which, Weiss supposed, was the entire point of building one in the first place. "You're probably right..."

* * *

He knew he was.

Yang could never have been the wrong choice.

There were few things he prided himself on, but his spouse was one of them. He never boasted upon the fact that he had a beautiful wife to call his own, but, he certainly wasn't quiet about that fact, either. Although he had always been reserved about it, Yang enjoyed hearing his praise. He thought highly of her, of course, and so there was plenty to speak about.

Yang was everything his father hated about women who traveled on the open road. She was loud and assertive, not meek and mild mannered. She was a huntsman's daughter, born to be an outsider. That she was also a huntress promised that she would lack all of the finer qualities that a poised village girl should have. He would never be able to bring Yang home to his old village. She would have hated it there, anyway. Somehow, he was alright with that.

Memories that were hard to suppress flourished in the depth of night. He recalled his days aiding in the fields as a young boy. Growing and training within the village guard as soon as he was able. Then, he left for higher education in the art of combat. His father had urged him to come home from Beacon. To find a bride, to build a home. At the time he was young, restlessness, unable to see the logic to his father's demands.

Now with a woman to warm his bed every night, he understood the simple pleasures that his father tried to speak of. The four walls around him would not be a home if Yang wasn't there to occupy it. Duty itself was a lonely thing. It could kill a man, or drive him to the brink of insanity. Solace was a fleeting gift, and he intended to grasp onto it every chance he could get.

A night between the sheets rounded off what he considered to be a typical day. The woman beside him was beautiful. Any heavy thoughts that he might have had melted beneath Yang's touch, and he allowed himself to enjoy her lazy after-sex affections. The blonde liked an active bedfellow, but, she enjoyed the long moments after even more. It was when their lovemaking began to dwindle into soft passing caresses, that Yang seemed the most radiant.

It was her easygoing smile and soft words that most called to him. Rousing him from the edges of dreamland to amuse her wandering hands with a mirrored expression of his own. Pushing her long blonde hair from her lilac eyes. Gently working out the wild mane and the tangles that would develop otherwise. He followed that sun colored silk down the slope of her cheek, along the nape of her neck. His trailed up the curve of her shoulder, and down along her side.

His fingers followed her wavy figure, mapping out the expanse of skin he knew so well.

Every faint scar was a sign of adventuresome life. Every blemish all the more breathtaking due to the story sure to be behind it. As his eyes grew heavier, he pulled her close. Taking the sound of a contented little hum of approval as it slipped from her lips.

That was the way he fell asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

**AYangThang:** A slightly longer chapter than usual, I hope you enjoy it. See you next Monday. Chapter Text

**Chapter 13 Blake: The Atlesian way, Part 7**

"Have you decided when you'll plan to visit?" It was the one question Kali asked after common pleasantries were exchanged. The same one that Blake always dreaded. Her mother was always so hopeful, and Blake hated to disappoint her each and every time. This time was no different, even if her answer would ultimately be the same.

She could have tried to stall, but that wouldn't last long.

"No, mom, I haven't." Instead, Blake pushed her long hair over her shoulder and out of her way. Pouring more ice cold lemonade from the carton she had just purchased that day. Tipping the glass back, she let it wash away her bitter thoughts. "Actually, I didn't even start making the plans. I haven't even had a chance to look at airfare yet."

"It sounds like you've been busy then."

That was a fact, one that was slowly creeping into the back of her mind.

"Yeah, maybe a little." Blake told her, thumbing away some condensation on her glass. She couldn't help the way her amber eyes landed on a stack of thick books from the library, none of them from the fiction section. she had plenty to read up on. "Correction, maybe a lot busy."

"Hmm." Kali sounded in agreement. "I know that tone of voice. You had better be staying out of trouble."

"Fat chance..." Blake muttered under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" She denied faster than she should have. As soon as the word flew out of her mouth, she regretted even saying it.

"Blake..."

"It's nothing, mom, really." Blake insisted, inwardly cursing herself the entire time. "I'm just tired. I had a lot going to today. Errands mostly."

"Okay, if you insist. Honestly, I don't think I could suffer to see you in another news headline." Kali said honestly. "Now I mean it, no more heroics, you've had plenty to last you a lifetime. It's seems as if where ever you wander off to, you always end up the center of attention."

"Don't blame me for that. I don't ask for the attention, it just happens." She brought her lemonade to her lips again, taking a sip before continuing. "Usually because of Ruby's, and she's mellowed out over the last year."

"Yes, well a baby tends to do that." Kali sighed wistfully.

"Uh, I guess." Blake felt her ears quirk it two separate directions as a thought came to mind. If news got out about her and Weiss, there would be hell to pay. She would have to tell Kali before anything was made public. "Fuckin' tabloids..."

"Blake Belladonna, I did not raise you to curse."

"Then it's probably a good thing I'm not home so much, because I do more than curse." Blake just sighed while returning to laying on the bed and staring down at the old wine stain on the floor. "I know you want me to visit, but some things have come up." The distraction only lasted a moment. Somehow, it was easier this time. It wasn't just a way to avoid Menagerie. She really couldn't leave for a vacation, not now. "I'm not really in a position to leave Atlas, and I don't think I will be for a while."

"Oh? Why not?" Kali asked her, a very unpleasant thought coming to mind a moment later. "You aren't planning on doing anything dangerous, are you?"

"No, nothing like that." Blake said, finding her lips pull at the edges, amused. "It has nothing to do with any missions, I just have some arrangements I need to sort out." While that was entirely true, it was also just the tip of the iceberg. It almost made her as giddy as it did fearful. The conflict of emotions tugged at her heartstrings in the way only a budding romance could. "Anyway, they'll take some time."

"Do you know how long?"

"No idea." And suddenly the wine stain was interesting again. "I won't be able to leave until they're finished. Even after that, I'm not really sure a trip to Menagerie is the best idea."

"Blake, we miss you terribly…"

"I miss you guys too, but, if I left Atlas I think I'd miss it even more…"

"You, miss Atlas?" Kali could only laugh at that. "Now I've heard everything."

"Not everything…" She could have kept quiet, and even considered not saying anything else on the topic. "You've been kept out of the loop on something. A big something." For a blink of an eye, she even thought it might be the best idea. In that same blink, she disregarded the mild fear of rejection. "If I tell you, you've got to swear to me you won't tell anyone besides dad. He's got to keep his mouth shut too."

"It must be important then."

"Very." Blake said. "You'll understand after I tell you. Still, you've got to promise."

"Blake, I'm your mother. I will always do what's best for you. If you need to speak in confidence, I will respect that." Kali replied, only the smallest twinge of affectionate exasperation in her tone. "So, please sweetheart, don't keep me in suspense. You've almost got me worried that it is a mission you're keeping from me."

Blake licked her lips, a hint of anxiety seeping in. It was foolish, but it lingered there anyway. Her mother would be happy for her.

Probably...

Still, there was always the small chance she wouldn't be. Blake felt her fingers gripping her scroll harder as she spoke. "Well, I've started seeing someone."

"Have you now?" And there it was. A mild shock, a bit of awe. The gentle support in her mother's voice that she both loved and hated. "Well I'm all ears. Tell me all about this lucky person."

"You already know all about her, mom." Blake said, pushing herself upright and scratching at the base of her left ear. "Actually, after what I found out from her, I know more about some things than you ever wanted me to. Actually, I'm kind of worried that you and dad never told me the truth."

"The truth about what, sweetheart?"

"Menagerie." Blake didn't miss a beat. The word fell out of her mouth like a hammer. "Weiss told me everything. The state of the island, the backwards trade agreements, the ongoing tension between her and dad... Everything."

"She said all of that?"

"More like showed me, too." There was no reason to lie about it. "I saw the paperwork. Why didn't you tell me?"

"We didn't want to put all of_ that_ onto your shoulders." Kali said earnestly. "We certainly didn't want to cause a rift between you and your friend."

"Girlfriend." Blake corrected, her mouth running away with her. She bit her tongue and let loose an agitated grumble. That wasn't what she had wanted to say. Huffing out a long breath, she rubbed at her eyes. "She said the same thing. She told me it wasn't my burden to bear. She's probably right. It's not like I'm in a position to do anything. If dad can't do anything, there's no way that I can. Either way, I would have liked to know."

"And what would have been the cost of that, sweetheart?" Kali asked then, her voice beseeching her daughter to understand. "It came down to a choice. Your father and I, we spoke about telling you at length, and more than once. Our decision never changed. If we had told you the details, you would have come home immediately."

"Maybe." Blake said. "Who knows for sure?"

"I'd like to think I know my own child well enough to know that." Kali's voice softened, her many years of silence weighing on her. "We want you to inherent your father's position, but we'd never force you into it. We'd never want you to come here out of that kind of obligation. Besides, you were right about what you said before. No matter how you feel about it, our position wouldn't be easy to change."

"Well, it looks like it's my problem a little bit anyway." Strangely, it didn't feel so heavy. "Weiss and I… I mean since we're dating now... The way that I see it, her problems are mine too, so I thought you should know."

"Blake, are you two getting serious?"

"Not right now..." Blake said. "But, I want it to be like that." In fact, it had been one of the easiest admissions she had ever made.

"So, tell me all about it." Kali asked again, her curiosity clawing at her. "How did you and Weiss go from friends to lovers?"

"We're not lovers, we're just dating right now." Blake said, her voice nearing on a mild growl. "Besides, I am _not_ talking to you about that. Not the details."

* * *

Blake found her night to be a restless one. Her bed cold, her mind filled with chores that needed to get done. She still needed to switch her availability on her huntress license. The slight adjustment from being open to missions to flat out denying them would be the first big milestone in truly retiring. She had been putting it off, hesitating and lingering over what that would mean. It was such a small thing, really. It was so easily changeable, some huntsmen did it seasonally.

Still, doing it seemed so final in its own way. Especially knowing that Weiss wouldn't want her hunting anymore.

Then there was the slowly growing list of apartments that Klein had been compiling. Blake already had appointments set up to see a few places. All of them would be completely out of her price range. Weiss would have to foot the bill. Even thinking about it made her toss and turn. Looking around at the single room she inhabited, she knew it was all she had ever needed. To think that soon she would have an apartment larger than this was an intimidation all on its own. No more traveling at whim. No more meals with others like herself, trading stories and breaking bread together during long cold nights. She knew she'd be alone at the apartment, and that reminder made everything worse.

Weiss wouldn't be able to stay there, couldn't, and learning to adjust to the new arrangement wouldn't be easy.

Then, there was Ada. The one condition that might void out all of her efforts no matter how hard she tried. She needed that little girl's acceptance. Needed to become someone that Ada liked, or at the very least, didn't outright fear. Blake had looked to the highlighted square on her scroll's calendar several times. That infernal yellow square taunted her. It had been that same square that had caused her to confide in Yang.

Who knew the opinion of a child could matter so much…or be so terrifying…

As the sleepless hours passed, Blake couldn't get the small family out of her head. A family that could become hers. An extension of the life she knew, and the future she wanted. She just didn't know quite how to make it happen.

Yatsuhashi's suggestion wasn't a bad one. Although, she certainly wished that didn't mean waking up before the crack of dawn. She groaned in agony when Yang came to collect her for the day. The sun hadn't even begin to rise when she was yanked out of bed. A crash course in babysitting was a lot less appealing when it meant sacrificing precious sleep.

She didn't have a clue what to expect when Yang practically shoved her up the walkway and through Weiss's front door. Watching Ada scurry behind Klein seemed like the least of many evils. The Faunus fought back another yawn, rubbing her eyes. It was only then that she recalled her manners, tiredly greeting the butler.

Klein eyed the both of them, a perplexed look on his face as he closed the door behind them. His hand absently falling into Ada's head as she gripped onto the edge of his blue and black vest. Brushing the messy strands of bed-head out of her eyes, he smiled at the women gently. "Greetings, Miss Xiao Long, Miss Belladonna. I hope the day has started off pleasantly for you both."

"Yeah, as much as it can at the crack of dawn" Yang said, much more awake and half hanging off of Blake with a grin. She waved to Ada. "Hey squirt, you just wake up too."

Ada nodded, clinging to Klein even more tightly than before.

Yang sympathized with the sleepy little girl, leaving her be for the moment. "So, Klein what's the verdict? Is Weiss around, or did she sneak out before breakfast again?"

"She's in the kitchen." He replied before looking down at the child who was very inclined to hide. "Ada, you have guests. Be polite and say hello to them properly."

"Nu-uh."

Klein's eyes flashed, a mix of colors dissipating as he sighed. Experience had lead him to know better than to try and fight this war before a good meal to fill her belly. "I apologize for her rudeness." Klein said softly as she affixed herself to him further. Clinging to his arm like a vice. "Last night was an absolutely awful night for proper rest."

"Sounds about right." Yang said, brushing off the shyness for what it was. "Hey Ada..." Yang said, cocking her head to the side. "What gives? Are you going to come give me a hug and say hi, or what?"

"Kitty's there…" She murmured, as she tried to bury her face well away from the Faunus. As if Klein could somehow save her from the huntress that stood in front of her.

"Indeed..." He muttered. "Be that as it may, I would like the use of my arm back."

"No!"

The man could only roll his eyes as he sighed. "Like her mother in this way, such a stubborn youth."

Yang threw her head back, laughing harder than she meant to. "Wow." She snickered, realizing she had her work cut out for her. "She really doesn't like you, does she Blakey?" Yang said with a smirk as she poked Blake in the cheek.

"No, she doesn't." Blake muttered with an edge of trepidation in her voice. The feeling of unease was mutual. She pushed Yang off of her and stepping a few paces away. The distance far more comfortable than she wanted to admit.

"Well, we'll just have to fix that now won't we?" Yang didn't hesitate. "Come here squirt." Yang said, prying the little one away from Klein. "I'll protect you from the big mean ole' kitty."

"Yang…" Blake half hissed.

"What?" Yang said, lifting Ada up onto her shoulders. She completely ignored the glare Blake aimed at her.

"You_ know_ what."

"Yep, I know." She said nudging Blake as she passed by. Her voice low and gentle. "She doesn't mean anything by it, Blake. She doesn't know."

In some rational part of her brain, Blake knew Yang was telling the truth. Ada didn't have much experience with Faunus after all. Those she might have some form of bond with either hid their traits, or had no problems indulging such a young child's curiosities. Still, the idea of being referred to as an animal just didn't sit well with her. She had explained that several times. This time, her mouth ran dry the moment she tried to disagree. Sighing, she followed Yang and Klein into the kitchen instead.

"Morning Weiss." Yang said, setting Ada down, watching as she ran over towards her mother.

"Likewise." The woman said, barely finished with her first cup of coffee. She had just stood up, well on her way to pouring a second cup as she caught sight of Blake. The ghost of a smile slipped across her lips. "And to you, Blake." She said, almost not believing the way that Blake stood in the doorway of the kitchen. "What brings you by this early in the morning?"

"Yang's meddling." Blake said tiredly, already fearing what the day would bring.

"Seems a little early for that, doesn't it?" Weiss asked looking at her watch to discern the time.

"Yeah, well seems like someone has to." Yang shot back. "Besides, I'd say it's about time."

"And just what is _that_ supposed to mean?" Weiss asked with a soft huff.

Blake shrugged, leaning more heavily on the wall. She could only watch as Yang made her way around the kitchen like an old hand. Klein was shooed away from the stove, the bacon he had placed in the pan still sizzling away as Yang took over. Instead he busied himself with preparing the pancake batter. Even just seeing the routine between them made the Faunus feel useless. She dragged her eyes away from the scene and down to where Ada had glued herself to her mother's side.

"Blake?" Weiss asked again. "Are you alright."

"Yeah, I'm fine." It was only a partial lie. She was worried, but deep down, she knew she had no reason to be. "I just opened my big mouth you see." Blake said, feeling Ada's gaze burn into her. Fear and uncertainty mirrored in the young girl. Those dark emotions clouding those pretty pink eyes. Blake chose to ignore it, least she make the situation any worse. "I told Yang about us, and that was probably my first mistake."

"Probably?" Weiss asked, her eyes shifting between the two of them. "Was there a second mistake that came after?"

"Not yet, I'm waiting for the hammer to fall." Blake said, causing Yang to sigh.

"She's paranoid she's going to screw something up." Yang explained. "And as cutesy-poo as it see to see you guys trying to figure this all out on your own, I thought maybe you could use the help." She pulled down a second pan from the rack hanging overhead. Placing it on another burner, she spooned a small plop of butter in the middle, greasing the bottom. "It's going to take more than one day to get Ada and Blake to even be on speaking terms, and anyone with half a brain would know that."

"That's…" Well, Weiss hadn't wanted to admit it. "That's true. I suppose that isn't very realistic, but, I had been hoping it would be a start." Weiss agreed softly. Seeing the way Blake's expression twisted uncomfortably didn't make the situation any easier. Suddenly, heading into the office seemed like the worst idea. "You know, according to my schedule the first meeting of the day isn't until ten. I could-"

"Get your tight little butt to work on time. That's what you could do." Yang interrupted, wagging her spatula. "We have a full day planned here, and it doesn't include any helicopter parents."

"We do?" Blake asked, glaring across the room at the blonde trouble starter.

"You bet we do. We're not going to do any learning. Instead, today's all about making friends." Yang insisted. "It's going to be a fun filled day. We're having breakfast. Then we're going to get dressed and go to the park. We'll stop by the pizzeria for lunch. Then we'll wing it from there."

"Some plan." Blake said, only to see Yang stick her tongue out in reply.

"I don't know. Are you absolutely sure about this?" Weiss said after a moment of thought, her eyes landing on Blake specifically.

"It's Yang's idea, so…" Blake shrugged, again feeling inadequate. "I mean, I'm as sure as that ever makes me, I guess…" Weiss would have never voiced the question if it hadn't been for her. Knowing that made her feel even worse, but, she knew she only had herself to blame.

Weiss could only sigh as she lifted her fresh cup of coffee to her lips. Ada was still clinging to her side, and very unwilling to part from her despite Yang and Klein only being a few feet away. Blake hardly looked thrilled to be there, either. Anxiety pouring off of her. Weiss felt the same wave of uncertainty in her own gut as she came to a not so easy decision. "Well then, I'll stay for breakfast and then leave you to your fun filled day."

"Don't worry, Weiss." Yang said then, her face gentling into little more than honesty. "With me around, Blake will be a pro at this. Then, come Friday, everything will go nice and smooth. you'll see."

As much as Weiss wanted to believe that, deep down, she doubted it.

* * *

Breakfast went well enough. It was peaceful sitting around the table with a warm meal and pleasant conversation. It probably helped, of course, that Blake and Ada sat as far away from each other as possible. The little girl hesitant to be anywhere near the gloomy looking woman. As Yang helped Ada get dressed for the day and Klein tidied the kitchen, Blake found herself in the last place she expected to be so soon.

"You can come in here, you know." Weiss said from her place in front of the mirror. "It isn't anything you haven't seen before."

Blake swallowed down her modesty, stepping into the large bedroom. Still, she made the effort to look anywhere other than Weiss. "This doesn't bother you?"

"No, of course not. I went to Beacon Academy, surviving both the communal bathroom and locker room with the entire school. You and I have our history of cohabitating." She said as she stood clad in her bra. Carefully deciding on which shirt she should choose. She took her time as she examined herself in the mirror. "In short, it doesn't bother me. Though, it does seem to bother you."

"You are an incredibly beautiful woman." Blake muttered, feeling her cheeks heat up at that admission. "Besides that, the context is different now."

"Hmm? Is it?" Weiss asked amused as she began buttoning up one of her favorite pastel shirts. "How many times did I change in front of you during missions?"

"I never really kept count."

"And of those times, how many of those times did you hide your attraction?"

"More than enough."

"Then there is no difference." Weiss said as she found the perfect shirt. The pastel green color complimenting her pale skin tone. It looked even better with the white vest over it. Appraising herself, she smiled softly. "Well, I didn't call you back here to taunt you. I actually wanted to speak about something that came to my attention just this morning."

"Hmm?"

"It seems that Winter has made reservations for a dinner tonight." Weiss went on to say. "I'll be stopping by to make an appearance. It wouldn't hurt in the slightest for you to attend. In fact, it might even be beneficial."

That small wave of anxiety coiled with a flicker of doubt. Amber eyes drifting down to the floor in a moment's hesitation. "If you think that's a good idea…"

"I think you'll find the guest list more accommodating than most." Weiss said, her voice purely conversational. As if testing the waters. "Although, I should warn you, a few of my extended relatives will also be in attendance. Winter knows of our arrangement, so it would be a good place to introduce you formally to the others."

"If you're sure that it would be a good idea..."

"I am." Weiss said with a click of key into the vanity. The gentle rummaging from within the drawer sounding much more prominent to the Faunus nearby.

"Okay.." Blake doubted that any human would ever be able to hear it the way that she did. The way that delicate fingers brushed up against the soft cloth lining from within one of the compartments. The tinkling of silver and gold chains brushing against one another. She could, and somehow, it helped to ground her. "I'll go with you, then."

"Good." Weiss said, giving Blake a sideways glance. "It'll be somewhat formal, so you'll want to change before this evening. I know I'll be looking forward to it. Winter's security will ensure I'll be able to wear proper clothing."

"What are you talking about?" Blake asked quietly. "You're always dressed to impress."

"Perhaps, but right now I don't feel that way." Weiss admitted. "To be completely honest, I miss having a worthwhile aura. Dressed like this I don't feel very beautiful. I prefer dresses over suits, but, dresses simply aren't as well reinforced."

"Has your aura really gotten so bad?" Blake asked, swallowing down the pang of fear that came along with hearing that admission. "I mean, I knew it had gotten weaker, that's not really avoidable, but still."

"It doesn't rightly matter how bad it's gotten Blake. I can't afford to take risks when traveling out on my own. I certainly don't want to have bodyguards following me everywhere. So, in light of that I have to prepare myself for being attacked as best as I can." As she said this, she pulled out two very sharp pocket knives. Each containing a small compartment. One blade held blue dust. The other red dust. She concealed the both of them. Her old license being useful strictly for carrying concealed weapons. "I have a child to think about. She's my priority. I have to stay in good health for her sake."

* * *

Blake couldn't escape her words. Not the sincerity behind them, or the darker fears that lay beneath them.

She doubted that she'd ever be able to completely protect Weiss, or, that Weiss would ever want that protection in the first place. Weiss would hate being treated as defenseless, even when she proceeded with due caution. It was so like her to walk that fine line, and it was something Blake could respect.

As a huntress, that sliver of pride hadn't faded away. Maybe it never would.

In some small part, Blake hoped that it wouldn't. Weiss was all the more vibrant for her independence. So much more beautiful because she refused to be seen as merely another woman to be taken advantage of. She wouldn't be repressed, and refused to be stifled.

At the park, Blake noticed that same small string of defiance in Ada. Wanting to do for herself, even when the task would be impossible alone. The swing she sat upon unmoving, even at her behest. Playground equipment she wanted to climb, all of it much too tall reach on her own. She would finally,_ finally_, allow Yang to help if she wanted it badly enough. The small frown on Ada's face showing her displeasure at having to ask for help at all.

"Don't let yourself feel down, Blake. She's pretty shy about a lot of stuff." Yang finally explained once Ada was playing just out of earshot. "More than I ever was at her age. I was just more outgoing I guess. Never really cared much about who was helping me. Ruby was pretty much the same too. Ada's way different though. It took me a while to get used to her personality."

"How long?" Blake asked, watching Ada color on the ground with chalk.

"I don't really know offhand, but longer than I thought it would." The blond nodded off in Ada's direction before giving Blake a sideways glance. "Ya know, you probably look angry all the time. If you keep scowling like that, she's going to think you're mad at her."

"I'm not scowling, this is just how I am." Blake said, flinching when Yang's thumb lifted to that natural crease forming in Blake's brows. She batted that hand away with a soft growl of annoyance. "Stop that."

Yang felt her smile fall slightly as she leaned back and stretched. Her palms resting behind her head. "She's an easy kid to get along with. You just need to let down your guard a little. Be a willing to meet her at face value. Also, maybe don't take everything that comes out of her mouth in the worst possible way."

"That's easy for you to say." Blake told her. "She doesn't think you're some kind of animal."

"She doesn't think that either. At least not literally."

"It feels that way sometimes."

"Give it a little time. She'll warm up to you." Yang said honestly. "She doesn't know you, Blake. You just haven't been around here enough."

"It's not…" Blake just sighed. "It's not like I didn't want to be, but we can't all be like you, either."

"I get that, which is why I never bugged you about it before." It was different now. Or, at the very least, it had a chance to be. Grabbing a forgotten piece of chalk from the bag resting between them, she spun it around in her fingers a few times. "Ada's one lucky little girl. Good home, loving family, more money than she'll ever know what to do with."

"Yeah, I know.."

"It's a nice life, Blake, but it could always be better." The chalk stopped spinning, one end extended to the Faunus in question. "Only question is, are you willing to make that happen?"

Blake took a breath, looking at the blue piece that Yang held out. She took it slowly. It felt heavy in her hands, and forcing herself to stand seemed all the more difficult with Yang watching her expectantly. She made her way to the pink eyed little girl who was still scribbling on the sidewalk. She knelt down beside her, dubiously looking at what barely passed for shapes.

"Um, hey there." Blake said, trying to keep her voice even.

"Kitty…" Ada murmurs, nearly falling onto her butt from her crouched position over her drawings.

Blake felt her temper spike for a brief moment at that word. Her jaw clenched slightly as she bit down on the hurt she felt. It might as well as be a curse, but, she let it go. Yang had to be right. Ada was probably too little to know what she was really saying. No concept of the derogatory language aimed towards Faunus as a whole. It'd be different if she were older, if the statement itself came from a place of hatred. It didn't, and even her tone comes from that of uncertainty. Bright pink eyes glancing up expectantly.

"I'm not 'kitty', I'm Blake." Blake found herself saying. "Blake Belladonna."

After a moment's hesitation, Ada stood up and ran towards Yang. The blond effortlessly picking Ada up with a knowing little smile. "Now what was that for, huh?"

"Kitty was there." Ada said, finger outstretched, pointing the Faunus in question.

"Yeah, I see kitty." Yang said with an upraised eyebrow. "Why did you run away from her?"

Instead of answering Ada buried her face in Yang's shoulder, allowing that to be her answer in and of itself.

* * *

The stop-off at the pizza parlor wasn't any easier for the Faunus and the little girl.

"I wanna cupcake."

"Nope." Yang said, a slice of pizza halfway to her mouth as she pushed the paper plate back in front of Ada. "Finish your lunch."

"It's blue." Ada said, pointing to it again.

"You're right, it has blue frosting. It's not ours, though." Yang agreed, gesturing to the pizza slice again. "Instead, we're having pizza. This is our special treat for today."

"Then a cupcake?"

"No way. If I pump you full of sugar, Klein will kill me." Yang said then, tweaking Ada's nose in passing.

The girl giggled before Blake sat down beside her with her own meal tray in hand.

"See?" Yang said, as if proving her own point. "Kitty has pizza too. We're all having it."

"Must you call me that?" Blake growled under her breath. The name starting to become painful in more ways than one. Never before had one little word felt like such a crushing defeat.

"Yep." Yang said, popping the end of the word between her lips. "Until you pull that stick out of your a-s-s I'm going to keep calling you k-i-t-t-y."

"I'll be right back." Blake said, excusing herself to splash water on her face in the bathroom.

She was not a human, and those implications clung to her like a second skin as she sighed, looking at herself in the bathroom mirror. Velvet's new additions to her wardrobe couldn't change that fact. The ears atop her head denoted her status. She was lower than poverty line as a huntress, and as a person. Her achievements would mean nothing to the socialites that Weiss called friends.

It hurt to think that even after all this, she would simply be seen as an animal.

One to be afraid of, at that.

Just as she was about to splash even more water on her face, her scroll began to buzz.

_-I know being broody is kind of your thing, but you really need to learn how to make nice-nice. –_

Blake blinked down at Yang's text message. Typing out a reply.

_-So I've noticed. –_

Her scroll buzzed a second time.

_-You need to start small, Blake. Maybe, I don't know. Try buying her the blue cupcake in the confectionary window or something_. –

Her thumbs drifted across her scroll quickly.

-_I thought you said she wasn't allowed to have it._ –

A moment passed, and the screen lit up again.

-_I'm not going to buy it for her. Just saying that maybe you might want to. If you're looking for an easy way to break the ice, it might work. It was just a thought._ –

Blake glared down at her scroll. It sounded far too simple to possibly work.

_-You want me to bribe her with food? -_

Then again…

_-You say this like we've never bribed a person with food before...-_

Yang had her there.

They all had a vice, that special little item they could do without. Be it cookies for Ruby, or pancakes for Nora, food had a way to solve many issues.

At the very least, it couldn't do any harm.

Splashing water on her face one more time she grabbed a paper towel to dry her face off. A breath later and she was stepping out of the bathroom and making her way to the front counter to buy that blue frosted cupcake lightly dusted in rainbow sprinkles. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Yang grinning at her. Ada none the wiser as she continued to eat her lunch. The sides of her lips smattered with pizza sauce.

Blake approached with the sweet treat in hand, gingerly placing it onto the table and sliding it towards Ada. The youngest among them scowled, biting her lower lip as she eyed the confection with bright eyes.

"That's the one you wanted, right?" Blake asked, sitting down slowly. As if too quick an action would immediately lose whatever fraction of positive attention she might have gained.

Ada looked to Yang, turning her hopeful gaze to the blond. "Now a cupcake?"

"Don't look at me." Yang told her while resting her chink in her palm. "I didn't put it there. You have to ask her."

Ada looked back to Blake, the offer seeming too good to be true. Torn between the Faunus and the prize on the table just in front of her. Shyly, hopeful pink eyes met those of amber. "Now the cupcake, kitty?"

"Yes…" Blake sighed, giving into the horrible nickname. "You can have the cupcake…"

"Well…" Yang began, snickering into her palm. "At least it's a start."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Weiss: The Atlesian way, Part 8**

First the park, pizza, and then a little window shopping. Blake Atlas was home to some of the most expensive stores in all of Remnant, even just peering into the windows was mindboggling enough. Outrageous price tags and imagery alike, Blake couldn't figure out why someone might purchase some of the attire showcased along the boulevard. She didn't have a chance to think much of it either as Yang helped to whittle the way the hours. Blake walked along with her hands in her pockets, letting the afternoon slip by.

She couldn't say she was any closer to Ada than when she started, but, at least the little girl wasn't quite as terrified as she had once been. She wasn't particularly friendly, either, though. More than happy to receive Yang's attention instead.

Idly, Blake considered that this might be the best she could hope for. That she might only receive passing attention when it suited Ada, and never any other time. She even mentioned as much when they bypassed a toy store, Ada's attention caught on the ludicrously expensive, and overly large stuffed bear.

"Hmm, you really think so?" Yang asked softly as she watched Ada poke at the fluffy toy that sat outside on display. The bear holding a sign promising there were more like him within the store, and all of them were on sale. Within the window there were even more bears, each one dressed in seasonal attire.

"I don't know what to think, Yang." Blake shrugged, her breath forming gentle clouds in the air as her semblance kept her warm. "Maybe it'll be fine like this, though. Existing around each other, or something."

"Or something's about right." Yang said darkly with a fond roll of her eyes. "She's not going to be this little forever, you know. She's going to grow up, have you ever thought about that?"

"Given the state of things right now, why would I?"

"Cause in the grand scheme, it doesn't matter right now, Blake." Yang said with a shrug. "Her entire world could completely revolve around Klein and Weiss, and right now, that's all she really needs. Everyone else, they're just a bonus. Personally, I think that's the way it should be. As she gets older, the people she'll learn to depend on will grow too."

"What about Nolan?" Blake asked under her breath.

"What about him?" Yang shot back softly.

Doesn't she need him?" Blake murmured quietly so as not to be overheard.

"Her dad comes and goes enough that she knows who he is." Yang said, her voice non-committal as she hesitated. "She loves Nolan, too, don't get me wrong...but..." Her lilac eyes looking at something distant and unseen by anyone else. Finally, when Yang found no answer there, she just shook her head. "Klein's the constant male figure in her life, not Nolan. Every kid deserves to have men and women in their lives that are worth a damn. People they can depend on when everything else fails. You'd figure that parents should be the_ first_ in line to fill that position, but, I also know better than anyone that isn't always the case."

"Yeah..." Blake trailed off softly, watching as Ada moved to the next store window, this one showcasing a large train set going around the track.

"Look, you've got to find what works for you." Yang said then. "For me, that's taking Ada out and farting around in the city. Maybe the things you two bond over will be different. Thing is, if you don't try, you're never going to know."

* * *

It was late afternoon by the time they got back to the Schnee household. Unfortunately the blue coloring in the icing never quite faded, leaving behind evidence that was noticed just as soon as they brought Ada home. The fun filled day came to an end with yet another perplexed look from Klein, and a glare from Weiss as she marched her daughter into the kitchen in an attempt to clean her off.

"Bubbly!" Ada squealed attempting to pop the small floating soap bubble that had escaped into the air.

"Not right now." Weiss sighed, wringing out the soapy washcloth in her free hand. "I'm trying to clean you up."

"It's going away." She cried out.

"It's just a bubble." Weiss said softly, the words distractedly falling from her lips as she took soap to the blue splotches of dye.

"No!" Ada reached for it again, watching in dismay as the little bubble popped mid-air a moment later. "The bubbly popped."

"Stay still." Weiss ordered more sternly than she had intended. She adjusted the arm that was wrapped around her little girl to keep her from falling.

"Momma's mad?"

"No, I'm not mad at you." Weiss said with a long sigh as she dunked the washcloth back in the sink. "If you wiggle around you'll fall right off of this countertop."

"Oh…" Ada murmured. "Ow…"

"Yes, that would hurt." Weiss told her. "Did you have fun today?"

"Yep! It's blue, see?" Ada said, showing her palm to her mother. "Look. Blue."

"I see that..." She said, containing her annoyance. Still, she couldn't help the way her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why is your hand blue?"

"I donno." Ada said without a care in the world.

"Somehow, I doubt that." She muttered under her breath as she looked at Yang over her shoulder.

"Hey, don't look at me." Yang said, holding up her hands un surrender. "I didn't do it."

"Something I also doubt." Weiss said as Ada tried to reach for the sink again. "Ada, did you go to the park?"

"Yeah..." She said disinterested in her mother's question. Instead she began pointing to the soapy water in the sink. "I want bubblies."

Weiss exhaled long and slow through her nose. There were some occasions, like this moment, where her child's logic mystified her to no end. This was one argument that simply wasn't worth the effort. "You want to play in the sink? Fine, let's take off your clothes then." Weiss said dryly, as she stripped her daughter down and deposited her into the sink of soapy water. "There, now you can enjoy your bubbles."

"Uh, is that even sanitary?" Blake asked from her place at the kitchen table,.

"If you actually clean the sink out afterward, it's just as sanitary as it's ever going to be." Weiss barely spared a glance over her shoulder to the two women responsible for this mess. "What is this anyway? Marker, highlighter ink?"

"Nope." Yang said simply.

"It's food coloring." Blake added with trepidation.

"Food coloring!?" Weiss groaned unhappily. "No wonder this isn't coming off easily."

"Well, I did say it would be a fun filled day." Yang said pulling a grape off of the stem and popping it into her mouth.

"My daughter is blue, Yang…" Weiss deadpanned, doing her best to scrub away the colored dye that had gotten all over Ada's face and hands. "What could you have possibly given her to cause this?"

"Blakey gave her a cupcake with blue frosting on it…" Yang said with a shrug as she leaned heavily on the counter top.

"Don't pin this on me." Blake half growled. "You're the one that said I should buy the stupid thing."

"Honestly, pizza _and _a cupcake?" Weiss shook her head. "We have a dinner party to attend in less than three hours, and _this_ is what I come home to? Oh, the sugar crash is going to be astronomical."

"Worse than Ruby's?" Yang asked, highly doubtful.

"Yang, no sugar crash on this planet could possibly be worse than your sister's. I've never seen a more foul temperament." Weiss told her. "More importantly, how do we get blue food dye off of my daughter's face?"

"The selfsame way I used to get food dye off of you and your sister." Klein replied as he came in from dusting the sitting room. "With a little baking soda and white vinegar, it should come right off…"

* * *

Like many things, it was a simple solution that won the day.

Vague notions about small victories aside, it was clear that Blake wasn't satisfied with the small step forward she had managed to make. By the time Yang left to return home, Ada was more than happy to avoid the Faunus once again. This time less out of pure fear than of simply being more interested in Klein's attention than Blake's own.

She had always been too critical about a handful of small things. Her past was a complex mix of tiny choices that had woven themselves into a complete mess, and that was just one problem of many. Blake Belladonna was not a daft individual, and the knack she had for carrying her past like battle scars did nothing to help that fact.

Weiss understood the mentality. The desire to never again walk down a path paved with blind ideology and youthful indiscretion.

The time for that had come and gone. There were plenty of tall tales to tell, some of them completely inconceivable, albeit true. There were others that they would never speak of again, those few moments a dangerous combination of guilt and denial. When most everything in life depended on continual successes, even the slightest failure could be crippling. A huntress had no time to fail, and no good excuse when she inevitably did. With such an immense responsibility resting upon them, they had never allowed failure to go by unpunished. The worst of those repercussions often stemming from their own minds.

Weiss had come to learn that the life of a parent was quite a bit different.

Small failures occurred almost on the daily, usually with no long-lasting repercussions. Most were minor setback at worst, and others were mere annoyances. The cupcake incident wouldn't be one that Blake would soon forget. Yet, it was neither important, nor even worth remembering. Perhaps it would serve as an entertaining story years down the line, but, it would hardly amount to anything more than that.

The sooner Blake understood that, the sooner she could adjust to a life in the kingdoms.

Already running later than they intended, Weiss sent Blake home to dress properly for the dinner party, while she also did the same. The night promised to be stressful enough without Blake adding more onto herself.

The couple arrive to the dinner party long after the meal has been served. The partygoers gathered had in the ballroom. There, the refreshment tables were prepared with plenty of after dinner accompaniments. Weiss had been correct to suggest that most of these guests would be welcoming towards Blake. Several old friends passing by to reminisce. Most of them were enlisted military, a few were retired hunters.

Still, that was nothing compared to the current tales being bandied about as the sun set into the depths of night.

No, that honor went strictly to Winter Schnee who smiled and gracefully accepted the praise of her position in Atlas's military. A soft grin adorning her lips as she recounted her latest adventure out beyond the safety of Atlesian borders. To a huntress it was nothing to be impressed about. Sleeping on the cold ground and going without a hot meal was considered somewhat routine. Weiss had even said as much jovially, teasing her elder sibling with her own feats of skill.

Those around them continued to be enraptured by the two sisters and their stories.

They couldn't possibly know the truth. They'd never be able to count the many tears Weiss used to shed late into the nights. Guilty admissions falling from her mouth in the form of sobs under the moonlit sky. Did they know how many times Weiss claimed to hate herself? How often she used to curse the license she held? It was very likely that they didn't have a single clue.

Yet, those dark nights were not for them to know. Those truths were personal, made only for the people who actually gave a damn.

"I'd leave your fondness of barbarianism behind you, Weiss." One of the ageing women said. "It doesn't become you, and it never has." Blue eyes, white hair, the family crest painted painstakingly across each and every one of her fingernails. She was, without a doubt, a Schnee. She, and the others dressed like her, would never let a person forget it.

Blake could do no more than lift her wineglass to her lips to keep herself from saying something she might regret.

Weiss was far more willing to be confrontational. "Aunt Winnifred, with all due respect, the comfort that we take for granted is only made possible by those brave enough to become huntsmen and huntresses. If that makes them barbarians, then what could that possibly make us?"

"Their betters." The woman signed in derision.

"Cowards." Weiss shot back. "It makes us cowards who hide in fear behind the protection they afford us."

"Some people are born to serve, and some are born to lead." Her aunt sighed at length. "A fact you often forget, Weiss." She cast her gaze upward to the two pointed ears and amber eyes of the feline Faunus beside her niece. The insult was pointed enough not to be missed, but even if it had been, the insult had been made twofold.

"Do I?" Weiss asked, one white brow upraising on its own accord. Instead she searched for Blake's fingers. Collecting them with her own. A gentle caress turned wordless placation. Perhaps a unified search of comfort as well. "I may be retired, but I am huntress too, least you forget that."

"I wish I could forget." The woman continued.

"Be careful, dear." The man beside her, Weiss's uncle, murmured. "You forget whom you address."

"I know exactly who I address, Josef." Winnifred told him. "If only she knew how to lead this family properly, instead of making a mockery of our good name."

"Is that what you think I've done?" The glare Weiss sent her aunt's way could be considered nothing less than glacial. "The moment that Atlas falls under attack for any reason, I will be one of the first to be called to arms. Think of it, my own sister will be made to send out an order that may in fact send me to my death." Weiss found herself too amused to care. "Yet, you have the nerve to assume you are better than me?"

"You are of very different ilk than your father." Josef said placidly. "Just as I am of different ilk than mine."

"Which is precisely the problem." Winnifred proclaimed. "A Schnee should be mindful of her place."

Not even Winter would stand for that statement. "It seems to me that Weiss knows her place perfectly well. What she says is true you know. Without huntsmen our military would completely depend on technology to protect the kingdoms. That would be too expensive, not to mention catastrophic if that technology would happen to fail."

"You speak as if it would." It was amusing to see the way the older woman's face crinkled under such a horrible suggestion.

"No one takes more pride in our fine military than I do. It is why I serve so faithfully, and will continue to serve Atlas until I am no longer able to. That said, cutting edge technology is strictly that, cutting edge. It is prone to failure, and to pretend that it isn't will doom us all. The military can only take such dangerous risks because huntsmen and huntresses are experts within their field. Without them, we wouldn't even know where to begin."

"And with that, I'm going to go greet Whitley. He's fashionably late, as usual." Weiss said, keeping her politeness as best she could under her aunt's stern gaze. "Please excuse us."

"Yes, of course." Winter nodded as Weiss began to break away from the small cluster of Schnee women who gawked what had just transpired. Blake followed, eager to get away from the insipid family members Weiss was unfortunate enough to be related to.

"I'm sorry about that, Blake." Weiss sighed once they were far enough way to speak peacefully. "Aunt Winnifred has always been an unpleasant person to be around. Not even my father likes her, and he's always been fond of people with money."

"Your other aunts weren't so bad…" Blake trailed off, though they had hardly spoken much of anything other than mindless chatter.

"Uncle Josef is much more agreeable as a person. He married into the Schnee family the same year that my father did. Father's one year older than my uncle, so the company went to him. I've long held the belief that the company went to the wrong man." Weiss replied. "He's on my board of directors, and you'll come to find that he's much more tolerable than my aunt could ever be."

"Speaking of, who is that woman over there?" Blake asked, gazing to a woman who looked much like Winnifred, if not less social.

Weiss turned following Blake's eyesight to the woman nearest the piano. "That would be my mother. I would introduce you, but honestly that introduction should be made in the morning. Preferably before she's had a chance to drown herself in her sorrows."

Suddenly, the stories that Weiss had told didn't seem quite so impossible anymore. The woman seemed far more interested in whatever was in her glass, than the gentleman she spoke to. "Weiss I-"

Weiss shook her head. "Don't worry about it, Blake." She said, cutting off the now concerned Faunus.

"Too late." The Faunus replied. "I am worried about it."

"She's not a bigot, so chances are good that you two would get along fairly well before she starts drinking. You'll probably like her, but, it's best to wait for another time. Unfortunately I wasn't lying about needing to speak to my younger brother. If I were you, though, I'd go join Ada and the others by the refreshment table. As you know, she's around much more pleasant company." It was true too, as Coco was gently setting Ada down in a nearby chair with a plate of healthy snacks in her lap.

Blake hesitated, knowing she would likely find better company in Coco. She could certainly do with the reprieve. "Are you sure?"

"Would you rather chat with Coco, or my insipid little brother?" Weiss posed then. "Go on, I'll be with you shortly. It's just a business matter anyway."

"Alright." Blake said, softly admitting that it was probably best for Weiss to speak to her younger brother alone. She couldn't help but let her eyes wander around the room as she headed towards her new destination. The bigotry didn't hurt quite as much as she might expect it would, and that was an uncanny thing. One that made her take pause as she watched Weiss navigate each difficult conversation with ease.

These people, her extended family, they couldn't possibly love and care for her.

By extension of that, Blake would never be accepted among them, no matter how much Weiss might wish it. She pushed down the aching thought, heading directly towards the group of friendly faces. One face in particular was a sight for sore eyes. Her voice carried far enough that Blake could hear it too, she hadn't heard that melodic sound in years.

"So, I made a promise to my protégée that I would show him the kingdoms once he improved enough to leave the safety of the village." Pyrrha had explained to Coco and Velvet, wine glass in hand. "He has vastly improved, so, here we are. We've started here, and we will be working our way south."

"Pyrrha?" Blake could hardly believe it as she had approached. A quick hug in greeting, and Blake beamed. "Last time I saw you, we were knee deep in a swamp down south."

"A swamp I still frequent, unfortunately." Pyrrha said with a soft smile. "The medicinal herbs there are still quite plentiful, and someone has to go collect them."

"I'm surprised that Weiss didn't tell you that she'd be here." Coco said. "It's been the talk of the military all day long."

"I don't think she knew." Blake said with a shrug. "We didn't even know about the dinner party until this morning."

"It was the same way for me, actually." Pyrrha told them. "I was merely choosing a training mission to take my student on. I was standing right at the mission counter when the military caught up to me. I should have known all of Atlas would find out about my travels eventually. As soon as Winter found out that I arrived, she immediately contacted me and extended the invitation. I didn't think it right to turn her down."

"And, where is this student now?" Blake wondered. Pyrrha looked to be in attendance alone. "For that matter, where's Jaune?"

"Exploring around the city, I suspect." Pyrrha shrugged. "You know that these sorts of gatherings aren't exactly Jaune's passion. As it was, I already needed to borrow a dress from Coco to even attend."

"Which makes you look stunning, if I do say so myself." Coco said, preening at a job well done. "I'll be damned if you don't make the front page news tomorrow." Coco said, far too pleased with her own handiwork. Her skills a deep and personal point of pride. "If you would have let me, I could have outfitted the boys in a tux. It wouldn't have been any trouble."

"Except that Jaune wouldn't have survived the dinner without panicking." Pyrrha said honestly. "Besides, Oscar, my student, is in no position to be exposed to sponsors just yet, if at all."

"Right, if you wanted to bring a plus one, you'd probably need Ren for that." Blake said with a smirk. "He would be the only one who might stand a chance at polite conversation."

"True, not that he is very fond of these sorts of gatherings, either." It was then Pyrrha's smile took on a more tender expression. "There's a reason we settled as far away from the kingdoms as possible. It suits us all for the better, I believe. I don't miss the comforts of the kingdoms as much as I thought I would."

"Speaking of, where is the rest of your team?" Blake asked. "I've haven't seen them, and with Nora that's just impossible."

"Ren and Nora stayed behind to protect the village. I'm on my own tonight. Honestly, it's nice to have a bit of time to myself." Pyrrha laughed, her fondness of Jaune unhidden. An elegant smile graced her lips. "I believe Jaune and Oscar are going on a shopping spree. The two of them were going on-and-on about some sort of comic book. Our village is quite small, so our local bookstore doesn't have a very good selection. Ordering specialty items can be particularly expensive, so we can't afford to do it very often."

"It sounds like you've been busy." Blake said, happy to know that her old friends were doing so well.

"I'm not the only one." It was only after a sip of her wine that she continued. "Coco tells me that you've been rather busy yourself."

"I don't know if busy is the right word…" Blake trailed off, a small hand slapped around on the table beside her.

She looked down, seeing only the hand, the rest of Ada was concealed beneath thee white table cloth. Ada was obviously in search of a little tidbit to occupy her time. Blake chose a tiny cracker with a square of cheese sitting elegantly in the middle. She slid it just within reach of the little fingers clamoring at the edges of the table. It was a small gift, watching the delight on the girl's face as she managed to finally capture it.

"It's been an interesting time though." Blake continued, regarding Pyrrha once more. "I'll give it that."

She heard Pyrrha say something, but it was such a distant thing compared to her current thoughts. She looked down to the pink eyed little girl who reached again for another cracker.

Such a simple thing, and yet something so easily denied to her.

It was a gentle sort of cruelty. Proof of just how simple minded Atlesian bluebloods were. They spoke about frivolous topics, praising gluttonous stupidity and insensitivity. Huntsmen and huntresses were regarded as barbarians, the common folk expendable. These people knew absolutely nothing of the outside world, and cared even less to speak to any Faunus among them. All evening, they'd made little effort to hide their disgust and contempt.

Blake smirked sadly at this.

Ada was perhaps considered equally inconsequential. After all, why amuse the logic of a child? There were important connections to be made, and those conversations didn't include such unblemished innocence. So, side by side, Blake glimpsed the first true taste of a noble's neglect. Ada none-the-wiser to her own luck in the matter.

Other children both young and old were expected to stand quietly by their parents and listen. They were there only to bolster their parents' image, paraded around strictly to be gawked at.

Meanwhile, Ada was much happier to roam free so long as Weiss could keep her in sight. This lone action viewed by many to be an insult to atlesian propriety. Some of them even stated as much. They looked down their noses at the girl, scoffing at her tiny whims. Weiss remained unconcerned with all of it. Seemingly to prefer that Ada wandered towards friendly faces, surrounding herself with the protection that could not be matched.

It was such a simple thing, but a vast difference in what had to be the usual upbringing of a Schnee. Weiss had to have suffered this same sort of hell, and likely without even friendship as a simple leniency.

"Chin up, Blake." Velvet said, having noticed Blake's mental spiral downward. "Most of the people here aren't worth the time of day."

"Weiss just so happens to be either related to, or connected to most of them." Blake responded.

"Don't worry so much about her aunts and uncles, Blake." Coco said. "They're mostly vultures, and the only reason that they're here at all is because Winter had to invite them."

"They're attendees by obligation. It's such a stupid practice." Velvet agreed, looking down at the small hands in search of another cracker. With a soft laugh she picked Ada and placed her on her hip. "I don't know why Winter even puts up with them."

"For the same reason that I invite them to my gatherings." Coco told her. "They're easy targets for funding. Most of them have more money than they know what to do with, and that's how they validate themselves. Winter will do anything to keep the military in fighting shape, even if it means prying money from her own flesh and blood."

"Have you forgotten how many times you used them to line your own pockets?" Velvet teased gently, the fingers of one hand coming to brush away the crumbs Ada had amassed on her cheeks. "In any case, you won't see them very often, Blake. Weiss tends to keep her distance."

"One guess why that would be." Coco huffed under her breath, knowing both women could easily hear it. "Assholes."

"Crassly put, but, true." Pyrrha murmured, causing Blake's ears to perk. "As someone who found my fame seemingly overnight, I can tell you that they'd look down on you either way. It doesn't matter what your accomplishments might be. If you're new, they're going to attempt to flaunt their superiority over you until they see a reason to do otherwise. Don't give them the time of day, and they'll quickly find a new target."

"They'd have no choice." Coco said then, nodding at some wealthy socialite that passed by. "What are they going to do, risk insulting you in front of your friends? They might be able to have loose lips around their own family, but there's no way their image would survive if they risked offending the wrong person."

"Like you?" Blake found herself asking as her lips pulled upward.

"Oh, I'm the least of their worries." Coco said, keeping her voice low. "Don't think on it too much, you'll learn the social game soon enough."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Coco: Just Business**

Late into the night when the party had concluded, several friends still lingered at the prestigious Schnee estate in the aftermath. The closely knit group gathering out on the balcony to speak amongst themselves. Ada had fallen asleep hours before, and as a result, she was temporarily left in the care of her uncle as Whitley also retired early for the night.

He promised to keep watch over her, and for what it was worth, the small girl was rather fond of him. Weiss doubted she would wake from slumber, but, if Ada did, she'd be happy to see him there.

Among those that stayed long after the party had concluded, the cluster was mostly as expected. Coco peered over her shades as Winter sat down to join them, this particular conversation obviously of direct interest to the older woman.

"A delay?" Coco murmured to Weiss who had just given some unfortunate news. "I thought everything was on schedule."

"As much as I'd like to avoid it, Whitley informed me that we have no choice but to begin the first phase of expansion soon." Weiss said as one of the Schnee family servants delivered hot drinks and placed them on a stone table. Another placed down a treat of steaming hot dough that had been fried with cinnamon and sugar. "The company will have to make our accommodations quickly. As you can imagine, this will inevitably inhibit our current contract together, even if only slightly."

"If there's no choice, it can't be helped." Coco said without a moment's hesitation. "We knew it might be a risk."

"Yes, but I had been hoping that it could be avoided." Weiss said as she brought the hot cup of cider to her lips. Here, on the lowest balcony overlooking her family's garden she couldn't help but be relaxed. The grounds were as perfect as ever. "I'll need to reach out to Menagerie in hopes of collecting dust samples."

"That's going to be like pulling teeth." Velvet aid with a sigh.

"So be it." Weiss told her. "I don't have an option here."

"The board of directors are forcing the push already?" Coco asked, concern reaching her voice.

"Winter, actually, and for good reason." Weiss said quietly. As if speaking too loud would be a sin in and of itself. She turned to her elder sister, hoping she would explain. "Do you want to be the bringer of bad news, or shall I?"

"I will, I suppose." Winter said, also taking a warm cup in hand. "I've given Weiss an official directive. She has to comply because I've ordered her to do it." Winter said then, looking at those who sat around the warm fire. It was going to be difficult too convey the subtle difficulty of sensitive military information. Still, she had to try. She spoke the obvious. "The mine nearest Argus has been emptied of its munitions grade dust. The other two mines have a few decades worth of dust left, but the quality just isn't what it used to be. Actions need to be taken."

"We could pull our dust from other areas, but, then shipment becomes a problem." Weiss told them. "Moving dust has never been an easy matter, not with all of the theft and Grimm running wild."

"Perhaps, but, our commands have spoken. Weapons won't sustain for long with poor quality dust." Winter replied. "We have about a year or two left, so need to open a new mine, and we need to do it quickly."

"That sounds like trouble waiting to happen. You start blasting holes into things, you're bound to piss off a few Grimm." Fox Allister commented with a frown. "Argus isn't protected by huntsmen, is it?"

"A few, but they're not as well fortified as the kingdoms." Weiss said with a shake of her head. "They rely almost entirely on the Atlas's military to keep them safe. My problem is that the amount of dust they consume is much higher than you'd expect for a settlement of its size. It poses more than a few questions about resource management, but that's a problem for another time."

"Frankly, I doubt they could cut down on dust, even if they tried. They're a port city." Winter replied, no heat in her tone. "The drawbacks should have been obvious from the start, but, you know just as well as I do that posturing is alive and well among the upper crust. Father couldn't help but to show off, and once he did, Ironwood was more than happy to follow suit."

"Just how much dust does Argus use?" Coco asked, eyebrow raised. "And for what?"

"I'll admit the amount is quite high, but, it isn't my place to speak on matters beyond that." Winter told her. "It's classified."

"Classified enough to withstand scrutiny? This is going to put more than just my contract in jeopardy." Coco asked. "Let me be clear. I'm a huntress too, I take pride in protecting the people, but port cities are dangerous the further south you go." Coco scoffed then, one leg crossing over the other from beneath the table. "There's nothing to protect low lying cities from a Grimm attack. There are no natural barriers, you rely entirely on manmade fortification, which is known to fail..." With a sigh she shook her head. "We know that is not the best way to build an entire city. Argus was a suicidal idea to begin with, and it's still suicidal now..."

"Certainly I agree with you, but, my betters did not." Winter told her. "The people of Atlas has a problem of losing sight of the bigger picture. The military and the Schnee Dust Company have always tried to showcase just how much can be done, sometimes to their own detriment. Where Argus was founded was not wise, but it's established now. The people have no idea the lengths that must be taken to protect them. It's costly, and very dangerous."

"It's only seen as dangerous for those of us who've been in the field long enough to know better." Velvet replied. "The average person would see the waterside as a safe place, most Grimm can't swim."

"Right, but the ones that can swim are large, and very difficult to take down." Blake jumped in. "That's why Menagerie was settled on an island along thick barriers of coral. At the very least it keeps away the deep sea Grimm, they don't want to crawl through most of that mess."

"If the kingdoms would have consulted the right people, Argus wouldn't be in this mess." Winter said, her agitation was clear. She didn't want to think of what might happen if the dust were to run dry. "Anyway, Argus has no choice but to rely on dust for everything, including energy. Unlike the kingdoms, they can't rely on wind turbines, and waterwheels will only attract more aquatic Grimm."

"Coal wouldn't work either?" Coco asked.

"No, the pollution would more than guarantee attracting flocks of flying Grimm, and Argus isn't as well equipped to stave off an attack for that long." Weiss explained. "Dust crystals do grow slowly over time. They are a renewable, but they take centuries to reform. Rotating our mines has always been the best way to ensure that our dust supply never runs dry. In order for that trend to continue, we need to start harvesting from the water. The waters around Menagerie have some of the richest dust deposits on Remnant. It's probably why the coral is so colorful."

Though he couldn't see well in front of him Fox used his aura to determine where Weiss was standing, turning to face her. "I was under the impression that Menagerie refused to work with you on the project."

"It's not that they've completely refused. However, I've yet to receive confirmation that they would like to discuss matters at all." Weiss sighed then. "The tropics are the perfect place to begin mining, but, as Blake said, they're also very deadly. Atlas has known about the underwater dust deposits around Menagerie for decades. They're so huge that we could mine dust there for a long, long, time." Weiss explained, knowing just how badly her kingdom wanted that dust.

Now, they needed it.

"We just didn't have the technology to retrieve the dust safely before." Weiss went on to say. "Well, not without risking waking every dormant Grimm within the radius. Now, we do have the technology and it's just that simple."

"Hmm, have you tried calling my dad?" Blake asked when as an icy gust of wind passed her. It was then that she was thankful for the still steaming cup of cider, wrapping her hands around it and sipping it down. Out if the corner of her eye, she saw Weiss shiver, pulling her long coat more tightly around her.

"I've called his office several times, but they won't put me through to him." She tore a piece of hot fried dough off of her plate, dipping the cinnamon covered piece into her cider before sampling it. "It doesn't matter how much I try, so long as I'm associated with my father's company, I can't even get a phone call with him."

"I meant, try calling the house…" Blake groused under her breath, knowing that it went unheard. "Well, I shouldn't be surprised…"

"What else can you expect from Menagerie?" Velvet said offhandedly, her voice placid in spite of her thoughts on the matter. "Most of the Faunus there hate humans just as much as the humans in Atlas hate us. It isn't exactly what I would call an inclusive environment."

"Velvet's right." Blake said, once again cursing that stupid island. "It's reciprocal."

"It's idiotic." Weiss groused, spearing another piece of fried dough onto her fork in the most unladylike way possible. Blue eyes glancing down viciously at the mangled dough as she delicately brought it to her mouth, perching it there. "If I can't convince Menagerie to work with me, the kingdom's council is going to want to take that dust by force." She said, the sweet dough disappearing behind her lips a moment later.

"They can't do that, can they?" Blake asked ears laying down flat at the thought of the military doing something so extreme.

"We can, actually." Winter answered unhappily. "Faunus were promised the island, not the waters or the dust surrounding it. If Menagerie were to be accused of withholding unmined dust deposits, then that could be considered a declaration of war."

"Not to mention, they have no reason to try and claim it." Weiss went on to say. "The island doesn't have the facilities to retrieve the dust themselves."

"That's one of the reasons Atlas wants it so badly." Winter added. "It's all just being wasted sitting under the water unused like that. We can put that dust to good use."

"Never mind the fact that the nearby Grimm will just grow larger and continue to mutate the longer they're exposed to the dust." Fox said, crossing his arms as he thought of all the ways that could end badly. "They think the Grimm are big now, give it ten more years. Those fucks will be invincible, good luck getting through a scaly hide that thick. Not happening."

"I hate to say this, but Fox may be right on that." Coco muttered, cringing at the mere thought of what Fox was saying. "Your dad should know that the Grimm are slowly growing, Blake. He's the chieftain, it's in his best interest to work with Atlas before the council tries anything too rash."

"My dad wouldn't just ignore something like this." Blake told them. "He's always willing to work with humans if it provides a mutual benefit."

"His own council might not see it that way. He may be the chieftain, but that position was given to him by the people. It could just as easily be taken away." Weiss said somewhat guiltily. "Let's be honest here, even if they were to allow proper facilities to be built on and around their island, those facilities can't be completely automated."

"And there's where you'd get screwed." Coco said as she reached for her own hot piece of fried dough. "Try explaining that to Menagerie..."

"All mines need skilled workers. Either I'd have to send my own, or employ Faunus from within the island. You can imagine how that might not be taken too kindly." Weiss said, turning to Blake. "He might be the chieftain, but even his influence has limits."

"This is why even having Menagerie is so problematic to the Faunus cause." Blake bit out. "Small villages prove that humans and Faunus can co-exist happily. It's possible. We've seen it happen over and over again. It's not an enigma or an isolated event. The Faunus on Menagerie refuse to see that, and they've buried their heads so far into the sand at this point that you just can't reason with them. It's one of the reasons I refuse to live there."

"Well, if they keep it up, eventually they'll be screwed because the Grimm will invade. It always happens eventually, and if huntsmen can't down them, best you can do is evacuate. If the Island goes down, they'll really be out of a home." Fox said. "If they want to kiss their ass's goodbye, that's their prerogative. If it were me, I'd figure out a way to work things out…"

* * *

Cigarette in hand, Coco spent the next day pouring over old designs that never made it passed the initial sketch. She had so many ideas, but many of them would prove worthless when applied to the fashion industry as a whole. Her dream had always been to outfit huntsmen and huntresses with better clothing suited to the dangers of the wilds. Early prototypes had consisted of aura enhancing armor, but those had been too costly. The returns on investment were hardly worth it.

Dust infused cloth was always going to be the cheaper, more cost-effective alternative.

The industry had known about it for years. All across Remnant, people used dust to look more attractive. Allowing their clothing to achieve almost impossible feats with just a few stiches hidden beneath a seam. Savvy huntsmen took it a step further, allowing that dust to be easily accessible for use in combat. However, there were limits to its use. Coco had concluded long ago that it was a half-assed way of providing adequate protection to those who needed it most.

Searching through her old designs, she lingered on the cheapest option; dust infused jewelry. Polished stones of raw crystal, socketed into settings and affixed atop of clothing. She even had one such prototype made. A man's broach made of a pure, uncut dust crystal, placed into a gold setting. A crystal of such size, polished and rounded into shape could be used defensively if the wearer so wished. A simple flick of the button inlaid just behind the setting and the crystal would power to life.

The contraption offered a small shield that glowed over the chest of the wearer.

It was a weak design, lacking the power it would need to truly be useful, but, Coco had always seen the potential. It was simply too bad that such possibilities would continue to be squandered by those who had no concept of true danger.

"Coco, the new samples have come in." Velvet said as she carried in the slender box of cloth swatches. "I had to sign for them directly. I've never had to do that before. Usually the guards do it."

"The dust inside these swatches are special." Coco said as she pushed aside all of the old drawings, then she snuffed out the tobacco product. "I told you before, I won't spare any expense for Blake's dress. Every stich must be perfect. I won't settle for anything less than the finest quality. We both know that Blake won't take kindly to accepting new dresses for every occasion, so this one must be even more exceptional than usual."

"As all Adel products must be…" Velvet said with a roll of her eyes as she opened the wooden box to take a look inside. "They're pretty silks, though. I'll give them that."

"I should hope so..." Coco said, looking at one of the samples carefully.

"I still think you're going a bit overboard." Velvet said with a small smirk, her long ears bobbing as laughed fondly. "Anyway, if you aren't expecting any other deliveries, I should go back to packing. My flight leaves early tomorrow morning."

"First class, correct?"

"As if you'd let me book less." Velvet chided gently. "We shouldn't be long, just a few days at most. Plenty of time for Yatsuhashi to send his art off to the printer for the ball."

"Regardless, be careful when you venture out of the kingdom's walls." Coco told her. A thousand more warnings died on the tip of her tongue. Velvet was a registered and trained huntress, and she didn't require coddling. If anything, it would likely come off as condescending, and Coco didn't want that. She closed the box to set it aside, standing to her full height to regard Velvet gently over her shades. "I shouldn't have to tell you this, but you call us if you need us. Fox and I'll be on the first flight out the moment you do."

"I know, I'll call if we need you." Velvet told her as she took her leave of Coco's home office. "Honestly, it's you and Fox that I'm worried about… Try not to get arrested."

"I'm not above bribery, babe. I'll just buy myself out of it." Coco called back as Velvet closed the door. She couldn't help smirking.

She took the box in hand, placing it away on one of the empty shelves. Her fingers slipped into her pocket, pulling out her metal cigarette case. Her thumb toying with the clasp before pressing it open and taking another tightly rolled tobacco product from within. With a sigh, she placed it to her lips, lit it, and then began to pace.

The first client of merit she had ever received was often the one she never spoke about. Still, she recalled one of the longest training missions, supervised and led Professor Port. Two entire weeks in the wilds clearing nests left and right. It was messy work. Long days in the thick forests, and longer nights spent rotating watch in the firelight. It was the Grimm's mating season, the most dangerous part of the year.

Four students and a longwinded professor could hardly make a dent in the hordes of Grimm that needed to be disposed of.

It was one night deep in the forests that Coco learned the true dangers of Grimm the hard way. The larger ones could largely go on ignored, or easily slain in a carefully planned attack. The same wasn't true for younger the Grimm. The younger the Grimm, more potential it had to be lethal. After all, who would suspect that creatures so small would be so bloodthirsty? Yet, those malignant, soulless creatures thrived on destruction. With no perspective, they were more vicious than any Grimm who'd managed to survive through the seasons.

Older Grimm, were thoughtful Grimm. The young ones were killing machines after their first breath of air. They sought flesh and blood, no matter the length they had to go to get it.

She had never forgotten that lesson, or the torn fabric of the Professor's dust enriched jacket. The hatchling Taijitu had very nearly struck her in the throat before Port caught the creature mid-air and ripped it in half. The only causality and been that jacket where two sharp fangs had dug into it. The acrid poison eating away the fabric in seconds.

With a long, slow drag of the cigarette, she tried to recall the hours of lecturing she'd received in the aftermath.

Truthfully, it had all jumbled together over the years. There was only one thing that was still fresh in her mind. Seeing part of a jacket reinforced with dust melt away like water. That image stayed. That could have been her neck, or his arm, and she never forgot it.

It was that memory that served to inspire her. It had helped her to make many of her other notable pieces. She closed her eyes, those long mission nights.

The depth of sky, the glitter of the stars, the crackling firelight. All of it served as reminder, and a blank canvas. She knew exactly the sort of dress she would have to make.

Going back to her desk, she pulled out a new sheet of paper and began to lay out a rough sketch…

* * *

A time came when she needed to turn away from her desk, calling an end to a long day.

The sight that graced her when she reached her bedroom that night was somewhat expected, and yet, happened infrequently enough to still be a mild surprise. She grinned at the tall blonde woman who had taken up residence on one side of the bed. Yatsuhashi was on the other. Fox and Velvet rested between them. Everyone was in different stages of undress. Smugly leaning on the door frame, Coco took a moment to enjoy all of the eye candy in front of her. "Don't tell me I missed all the fun."

Yang's breasts were proudly on display while her panties did very little for her modesty. Velvet had little more than a sheer silk nighty, and that hid nothing. Yatsuhashi had his boxers, but Fox lacked even that.

"Well, there wasn't really a whole lot of fun to begin with." Yang said with a shrug. "Just a whole lot of lazy cuddling."

Coco nodded, but she gave Fox another passing glance as she began to disrobe. "Our men were up to something. Fox doesn't little spoon for just anyone."

"Well, fuck you too." Fox groused out from his position on the bed. "Can't two guys just lay round without people thinking one of us just took it up the ass?"

"Well, I mean, you look pretty damn cozy next to my husband, Fox." Yang teases. "Just saying…"

"Sit and spin." He says, middle finger outstretched in Yang's general direction. "He was my teammate first."

"Looks like someone's full of piss and vinegar." Coco laughs. "That can only mean one thing. You're high, aren't you, Fox?"

"As a kite!"

"Three pot brownies, Coco." Velvet told her. "Three of them in one sitting. I nearly slapped him."

"Didn't hear you complaining in the kitchen, babe…" Fox grinned proudly.

"Which is the only reason I didn't knock you on your behind." Velvet told him dryly, feeling Yang move around from behind her, likely schooling her hair back into a reasonable position. "You really do need to moderate your consumption."

Fox ignored the idle complaint, offering a passing kiss to Velvet's cheek before sitting up, using his semblance to search for Coco. "So, come to Jesus meeting aside, are we spicing it up tonight? Or am I already half-hard for nothing?"

"Depends, you know the rules. Do we have protection someplace…?" Coco trailed off.

"The prophylactics are in the paper bag." Yatsuhashi told the woman. "Yang and I planned ahead."

"Well, there's your answer, then." Coco told Fox, as she grabbed the bag in question. The bed dipping as she crawled up from the foot of the bed with the little brown bag in hand. "Let's send them off to Vale with a fond farewell and plenty of incentive to hurry their asses back here in one piece…"


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: Blake: The Atlesian Way, Part 9**

Retirement day arrived quietly, like a soft whisper.

She knew it had been coming up like a creeping fog. Now that it was here, she dreaded it. She turned off the alarm on her scroll, rolling onto her side and gripping into the thin bedding that covered her. It was a momentary denial, but one that chased away her sleepy haze. She wouldn't even be given the opportunity to slam the snooze button as the gears in her mind began to turn.

She supposed a little anxiety would be normal.

Just like a novice wisely experienced pre-mission jitters, she could not be expected to be overconfident in her life's new direction. Blake's day would be full, but at the end of it, a chapter of her life would close. She hoped it would be for the better, but, cautious doubts still lingered. Later, a meeting located in the heart of Atlas would take place. There, she'd apply for permanent residency among the kingdom.

It sounded simple enough, and on the surface, it was the logical next step.

If only her restless mind actually agreed with the mundane conclusions offered up to her on a silver platter. There were plenty of reasons to follow through with her plans, every one of them irreplaceable encouragement to ward off her fears. Yet, her fears spoke to her anyway, and since they weren't completely irrational, she gave some credence to them.

If she was no longer a huntress, what would she be? How would she make her way in the world? How would her relationship with Weiss unfold from here?

She didn't know, and there was no way to predict the future. Forcing herself to get out of bed was just a little more difficult than usual. This single day would be a gigantic leap of faith and unlike so many others in the past, didn't come down to skill. She had gotten dressed in record time. She stuffed a breakfast sandwich into her mouth, guzzling down a mug of hot tea to wash everything down. The entire process took less than half an hour before she was exiting out of the dormitory doors and out into the city streets.

Her day started early, seeing her friends off at the airport just after sunrise. With Yang taking a trip to visit her sister, it only seemed right to tag along all the way to the docking gates. It was a bad habit from their mission days together, but it was one that likely wouldn't end, either.

"Guess this is the end of the line…" Yang said when they got to a set of double doors.

"Guess so." Blake agreed.

"I don't think I really need to say this, but hold down the fort, and all that jazz. Remember, take it slow with Ada, and don't be afraid to bribe her a little." Yang told her, sleepy lilac eyes regarding Blake in a way that said the blonde would be sleeping on the aircraft. "Hmm, oh and while you're at it, don't let Weiss work too much…"

"I thought you married Yatsuhashi…" Blake deadpanned, earning an elbow jabbed in her direction for her snarky attitude. She smirked dryly at that, cocking her head to the side as she dodged another elbow. "Anything else you want to cluck about like a mother hen?"

"Yeah, actually, lots." Yang told her, catching her partner in a grab and flinging her arm around the woman's shoulder. The sideways hug was firmer than usual. "Like if Coco pulls you out for a drink or something, don't go shot-for-shot. Or I guess just get ready for a hangover if you do."

"I doubt I'd ever be stupid enough to drink _that_ much." Blake shot back with a soft glare that melted away in an instant. "That kind of drinking lost its appeal for me years ago."

"Guess you really are starting to settle down…" Yang said softly as she let Blake go.

"You say that as though you weren't the one more interested in bar parties."

"True!" Yang laughed, tossing a look over her shoulder. Beyond the next security checkpoint, Blake wouldn't be authorized to pass without a ticket. It would only be a few days, but she still felt a touch of concern for her partner. Blake had never truly enjoyed reckless adventure, but, she had never truly settled down, either. City life was still new to her. So was the little family she was desperately trying to become part of. "I know I don't need to worry about you, but I'm always going to. You're my partner, Blakey, it's a full time job no matter what."

"Yeah, well, worry a little less. I doubt Atlas will crumble around me while you're gone." Blake told her.

"Right, next stop, Vale. First thing I'm going to do when I land is hit up the cafeteria for some noodles, then I'm going to haul ass straight to Patch. Is there anything I should tell Ruby while I'm there?" Yang asked, duffle bag in hand as she waited for her number to be called. There were only a few other people ahead of her.

"Nothing I can think of. At least, not off the top of my head." The Faunus said with a small smirk. Idly, she wondered just how things were going since leaving Vale. "I'll have to make some travel plans, but those can wait a bit."

"Still retiring?" Yang asked her.

"Yeah…" Blake said softly. "Yeah, I think it's unavoidable."

"You don't have too…"

"If I want to be with Weiss, I have to retire." Blake said, looking at the thick duffel bag that was tossed over Yang's shoulder. "Weiss made it pretty clear to me that she isn't going to tolerate a relationship with a huntress coming and going all the time. The gears are already in motion for that."

"Yeah, that sounds about right. I don't blame her." Yang said, catching the wave of Yatsuhashi and Velvet from the waiting area. "You've got everything settled as far as that goes? Know what you're going to do instead, or not yet?"

"I've already filled out the forms to switch my certification from active to retired. I just need to turn them in. As for a second job, I don't think I'll be getting one for now. There's um… There's matters closer to home I should be settling first." Blake shrugged then, already feeling uneasy about her upcoming plans. "It's going to be an adjustment, that's for sure."

"It always is, but hey, it'll be easier than you think." Yang told her. "Just take it a day at a time, try not to rush. Gotta remember, Weiss is used to the hustle and bustle of city life. If she goes too fast for you, slow her up a bit. Give her a reminder of what life used to be like."

"I'm going to need to discuss all of this with Ruby at some point too." Blake said. "I figure I'll do that the next time I go to Vale. I've got to make arrangements to close out all the dorms I've been renting, or at the very least sign them over to Ruby completely."

"Gotcha… Hey, you know, it's pretty nice to set down roots. It's got a few drawbacks, but, there's a lot of good in it too." Yang grinned as her number was called. "Gotta jet…"

"Be safe, Yang."

As the blonde pushed passed the double doors she rolled her eyes with a grin. "Where's the fun in that?" She asked before the door closed behind her.

"Idiot…" She murmured under her breath. A ghost of a smile playing over her lips as she watched Yang pass through a set of scanners and walked over the seating area.

* * *

She left the airport, hailing a taxi and arriving to Atlas Academy to turn in her paperwork. The thin stack had been completely filled out, not a single blank space remaining. All she had to do was leave it up at the front desk. There it would reach the proper databases all across Remnant. A stamp, a signature, and two weeks of waiting was all that seemed to be required. All in all, it was too easy a process for the lifetime she'd spent aiming for that one single goal. Now all she needed to do was wait for her new license to arrive in the mail, a retired huntress with weaponry clearance.

Her continued stay in Atlas became a question of citizenship.

A huntress with an academy license belonged to the countless peoples of Remnant. The collective kingdoms had always considered her license as citizen enough. She could go almost anywhere, cross almost any border, and the small square card promised that she could linger as long as she wanted. In return for that freedom, she would protect and serve the peoples within the region she inhabited. When a kingdom called upon her service, it was her sworn duty to always offer help.

It was a fair trade.

However, once retired, a huntress had to choose a place to settle. As a one-time courtesy, any kingdom would accept her request for citizenship, without question or refusal. However, she could only choose one. After that, if she wanted citizenship in other kingdoms, she would need to register though the proper channels. Of course, she had chosen Atlas, and within hours she'd been given a small folder with everything she'd need to begin a life as an every-day citizen.

The rest would come to her in the mail over time.

After hours of office transfers and shaking hands with desk jockeys, there was only one final thing to do. She stood outside of Winter's office, the place where every retired Atlesian huntress eventually ended up. The military would try their absolute best to recruit her. If they didn't succeed, they'd attempt to place her into a program that would benefit from the skillset only a huntress would have. Failing both of those, they'd at least attempt to move the huntress to a far-away outpost, to protect outlying villages in times of need.

It was a time-honored tradition, and something every kingdom shared. Blake recalled the way older huntsmen spoke about the programs that crossed the kingdoms. When Taiyang had retired as a working huntsman, he'd moved to Patch under Vale's specific program. Then, he became a teacher at Signal. He was a man that proved the programs held weight, and, should be a point of consideration. They were the bread and butter of every powerful kingdom, and there was no second guessing that.

She couldn't help but think that under a different circumstance, she might have chosen to move to a sleepy little village. A place deep in the mountains that would have need of her. Under different circumstances, she could have built a long and peaceful life like that.

"Blake Belladonna." Winter's voice called from the now opened door. It shattered Blake's bored musings that had kept her occupied in the waiting area. "You may enter."

Blake did, passing the folder over to Winter so that the woman could take a look at it. The few pages were all very standard, with within minutes, Winter had been sure to have an assistant enter them into the database that crossed among the kingdoms.

Pulling out a new document, Winter paused, pen in hand. "People in your line of work don't typically adjust well to city life. At your age, retirement isn't exactly rare, but is discouraged. I'm required by law to ask one final time, are you absolutely sure that you wish to become a full citizen of Atlas?"

"Yes." Blake nodded. "I'm absolutely sure. I won't be changing my mind."

"Very well then." Winter said, signing the document and sending that out for her assistant to process as well. She took her time to close the door and lock it securely. Sitting at her desk, she folded her hands atop the glass. "It is often recommended that if you do retire, you don't sit idle. You should have something else to occupy your time and bring in a steady income. I assume you have made your plans."

"Something like that…" Blake trailed off.

"Hmm." Winter sounded quietly. "Usually this would be the point where I give usual spiel about our military and all of the benefits you'd receive. That said, I'm not in the mood to waste your time, or my own. I'm quite confident that your 'something' largely revolves around my sister." To the eldest Schnee sibling, that seemed like a surefire guarantee. I'm not sure that I entirely approve, but, I'm not against it, either."

"Thanks for that." Blake laughed softly, but blue eyes lingered on her in a way that was wholly unsettling. "Something else on your mind?"

"Several things, each one more precarious than the last, I'm afraid." As Winter said this, she reached for her scroll. Sliding it away in her desk, she hesitated a moment longer before sighing. "It should come as no surprise that I have nothing against you. I don't mind whatever may be taking place between you and my sister. However, I'll say this; tread lightly, Blake. I mean that."

"What don't think Weiss can handle herself?" Blake asked, already knowing the pure idiocy of her words even as she spoke them. Still, she didn't know why Winter kept looking at her like a ticking time bomb about ready to explode.

"Oh, she's hardly my concern." Winter said then.

"Mind telling me what is?" Blake asked then, leaning forward in her seat just a little.

"You haven't the slightest clue?" At this realization Winter frowned deeply, shoulders squaring themselves as if she had been blown back by a blast of wind. She looked down at her desk, and then back to Blake, lips thinning tightly as a single breath slipped from them. A single string of words followed after, nearly silent in the air. "I suppose I have no choice." Another huff of silent breath and Winter pushed a button, casting the entire room in a blue hue, securing it.

"Winter?" Blake pressed.

"Let me be clear, the council has an eye on you." Winter told her plainly. "It isn't by pure chance that Weiss received orders from the military to begin mining in the tropics. She isn't stupid, she knows there are plenty of easier places to source a new dust mine. The SDC has always been a duplicitous company, profits are really the only thing that the board of directors care about. No matter what the council things, it will always going to be cheaper to mine on landmass, the shareholders know this…"

"Then why choose to settle on a spot in the water now?"

"You, Blake." Winter replied, tilting her head, amazed that she still didn't realize her position. "You change the game. You see, this could look very favorable for Weiss and all of Atlas in the future."

"I don't see how." Blake muttered, feeling as though she missed a step somewhere. "I have nothing to do with Menagerie, or any of the Faunus villages. I don't even endorse them. I've never supported segregation in any form, willingly or otherwise."

With a passing look of pity, Winter stood from her desk and poured two cups of tea from the porcelain pot nearby. She placed one fine china cup on a saucer and took it to Blake before retrieving her own. "Imagine if you would, that Weiss could manage to get Ghira Belladonna to allow a dust mine near his shores. Think of the facilities required to maintain it. In the short term, Argus receives the dust it requires. In the long run, Atlas enjoys abusively cheap labor, and that island is teaming with possible employees. Ones that would continue to breed back into system. Sons and daughters following in the footsteps of their parents. Generations indoctrinated because they feel as though they cannot achieve better."

It was the story of every Faunus mining town that hadn't thought to fight back against its oppressors. Poor education, stagnation, and fear. Those were the simple building blocks required to begin alternating a community at its core. It made Blake sick to her stomach even thinking about it.

"You're assuming Atlas has the clout to offer them poor wages."

"You presume the people of Menagerie are educated enough to avoid propaganda when they see it." Winter shot back. "Long term exposure is what makes propaganda campaigns powerful, and that little island isn't connected to the vast world around them. In a few years, the people would begin to be manipulated. In a few decades, would they even know any better?"

And that, Blake supposed, was what had made Atlas so powerful in the past. Why the kingdom's government tied itself so closely with its education systems. There was certainly a level of dimwitted pride and mindless clout that those in power seemed to have. It was easy to combine that with a complicit public, and years of ingrained hypocrisy. Time was probably the greatest asset that Atlas had.

A kingdom built far away from the rest, insolated by both ice and ideals. Made powerful by masterfully using dust, and skillfully continuing to acquire it.

"I'd like to think that the Faunus are smarter than that." Blake told Winter darkly. Even so, she could still feel the thread of truth that had woven between Winter's statements. The Faunus of Menagerie were a complacent people, and that would lead to easy manipulation. The island faced a stagnation of ideals, and no-one to challenge them. In the wrong hands, it was certainly very dangerous.

Entire communities throughout history had been forced into slavery for less…

"The council doesn't care about Faunus, Blake. They will stop at nothing to bolster our dust supplies and keep Atlas at the forefront of technology and military might. However, if they can do so peacefully while continually looking better to the public eye, they're going to try. You are the best chance they have to get Menagerie to agree willingly to a dust mine. They'll use you and Weiss, just like they used my grandfather. Do not drop your guard, not even for a second."

* * *

Winter's warning had been a lot to swallow, but was nothing compared to the very late dinner she had that night.

"You should know is that Nolan will be arriving tonight." Weiss had told her between bites of the impeccable steaks that Klein had prepared that evening. In spite of the blunt truth, the way she had said it had been very delicate. "He stays here when he returns from missions. That was the arrangement we decided would be best for Ada."

Blue eyes glanced beyond Blake, landing on the calendar hanging on the fridge. A nearly identical copy to the one Weiss kept in her bedroom. A large red circle indicating Nolan's impending arrival.

"I know he stays here." Blake said, once again feeling a little put off by what her nose had confirmed in the past. Addressing it seemed strange, but, then again, so many things seemed that way these days. She cut onto her stake further, eyeing the morsel instead of Weiss. "More aptly, he stays in your room, with you. At least, he used to."

"How would you…" Weiss trailed off when Blake pointed at her nose in answer, looking away. "I see…"

"Try not to worry about it." Blake murmured somewhat shyly.

Worrying was just something Weiss did by nature, particularly when it involved her personal life. "How long have you known?"

"I never kept track of it, or anything. It's just that his scent is all over you whenever he comes home. Any Faunus that has a decent sense of smell would catch on. We don't talk about things like that because it would be rude. Generally, it's not any of my business." It was then Blake cleared her throat, popping the steak into her mouth. "Also, it's almost taboo to talk about those kinds of intimate details behind another person's back. Especially those of a human."

"I hope you don't think I was planning to continue that trend…" Weiss said, her fork likely tapping at the small mound of mashed potatoes upon her plate. Feeling suddenly as if she had done something incredibly wrong, even if that had never once been the case. To even be suspected of it concerned her. "I fully plan to inform him of the newest developments, including my newfound relationship with you. The thought of continuing to sleep with him hadn't crossed my mind."

A soft chuckle came from Blake, the Faunus finding humor in the timid stare. Only someone completely paranoid, or a nose-blind human would jump to that conclusion. "I wasn't worried, Weiss."

"I would hope not…"

"We both had past relationships, things like that were bound to occur." Blake said quietly. "I wondered why he stayed, though. It wasn't just for _that_, was it?"

"No… Oh, god no, of course not." Weiss said with a shake of her head. "It was a perk, certainly, but that's not the reason. He actually keeps a hunter's dorm just like you do. He entertains his other company there, but that's all he uses it for. It's just that Ada is far too young to spend the night in a hunter's dormitory, even if he is there to protect her. He may not come to Atlas often, but, when he does he should be with his daughter."

"I'd agree with that." Blake posed. "I mean, that's the most logical conclusion."

"I can imagine that you'd be uncomfortable with my ex-husband roaming the house. Nolan and I will have to come up with some other arrangement." Weiss said, biting her lower lip. "Although, off the top of my head, I don't have a solution so soon. Due to the laws in Atlas, I have complete parental custody over her. Nolan doesn't have a proper residence, or the required accommodations to raise a child. Furthermore, as a huntsman he's never here. He and I will have to figure out a new arrangement that will suit our needs."

"Weiss, I'm not worried about it." Blake said again, her voice a little firmer. Frankly, if Weiss had sex with him again, her nose would instantly tell her that. On a long list of worries she had about her relationship, Weiss sleeping around wasn't even on the list. "Honestly, I'd feel better if he stayed for Ada's sake. It's like you said, he doesn't come to Atlas often. Just stick him in a guest bedroom or something. Lord knows you have plenty of them."

"I do…" Weiss said slowly, her voice hedging on the uncertain. "Are you absolutely sure you'd be alright with that?"

"Is there any reason why I shouldn't be?" Blake asked then.

"No, but, even you must admit that it would be thought of as strange."

"Any stranger than letting a little girl wander around a hunter's dorm?" Blake shot back with a shake of her head. "If he was living here all the time, yeah, I'd probably not be too happy about that. Huntsmen come and go, and that's the life we lived for years. To be honest, it's the life I'm used to. So, unless he gives me a reason to be bothered by it, I'm not going to think twice about him spending his off days here with his kid."

It did lead her to wonder, though, about the sort of woman sitting in front of her. She was compelled to wonder what could draw the attentions of a Schnee. What sort of things aroused her? What about the audacity of her libido? Her interest in sex as a construct? The Faunus couldn't help the flick of her ear as she thought about it. Was it is merely that of systemic nature? A way to continue the human race, any trace of pleasure resulting from that just a happy coincidence?

Or was it something more?

Desire and passion? Rough and tumble, or soft and sweet?

That was a question most Faunus would simply ask early on when finding a lover. Sexual compatibility ranked highly among the many commonalities Faunus searched for, and in some ways, Blake wasn't any different in that. She couldn't just ask Weiss about it, though, not in the middle of dinner. Faunus often claimed that humans were prudes. That there were many things they don't discuss frankly, and sex just happens to be one such subject. Blake had to admit, she'd met many humans that debunked that theory, sometimes to the point of absurdity.

But, even finding the right words seemed impossible..

She would have liked to ask more than one fleeting question, but, Blake was sure that she wouldn't be able to process those answers at the moment anyway. Not with the way very kissable lips called to her, tormenting her with the fact they did so unknowingly.

"What are you thinking about?" Weiss asked, feeling the burning gaze of amber eyes. Blake's fixation something nearing analytical.

Blake cleared her throat, returning to her meal. "Nothing." She said, a self-deprecating smile coming easily to her. "It was just a stray thought, nothing important…"

"I highly doubt that." Weiss replied simply. "If you have something to ask, just ask."

Blake lifted the champagne flute to her lips. "I doubt the question's appropriate." She murmured between sips. The words themselves strangling her with the more than awkward implication.

"Is it something that would come flying out of Yang's mouth unrepentantly?" Weiss questioned then, Blake shaking her head only slightly to deny it. "Then, ask away."

"Well… You see, I was wondering if… Perhaps… You'd uh…" Blake paused mentally berating herself as she tried desperately to find a tactful way to phrase her question. Nothing came to mind. She cleared her throat again, blushing terribly. "I was wondering at the speed of our relationship. Rather, how comfortable you were, with… certain things…"

Weiss gracefully managed not to choke on the bite of roasted carrot she'd taken, as her brain derailed completely. "That would depend on what things you'd be referencing."

Flat out kissing Weiss would be easy enough, but beyond that? Blake couldn't even fathom what lay beyond the occasional impassioned kiss, or, how to take Weiss to that next level. "Any of it, and I guess, all of it." Blake said softly. In for a penny, in for a pound. She wouldn't walk back her intentions even slightly, that would just be dishonest. The best she could do was hope that she hadn't completely offended Weiss. "You've always been a very good friend to me. During that friendship, I'd forbidden myself to even consider what might happen if we ever became more than friends. Now that we have... become more.. I don't want to force down my attraction to you…"

And, Blake admitted silently to herself, she was _very_ attracted to Weiss Schnee.


End file.
